Poultry - Vegetable And Turkey Sausage Chili

1 1/2 medium onion -- chopped
6 cloves garlic -- minced
3 large carrots -- peeled/thinly sliced
3 medium zucchini -- halved lengthwise thinly sliced
1 1/2 large red bell pepper -- cut in 3/4" pieces
2 1/4 cups fresh or frozen corn kernels
3 (14.5 oz.) cans diced tomates in juice
1 1/2 (15 oz.) can tomato puree
1 1/2 lb. Italian-style or mild turkey sausage -- remove casings
1 1/2 tbsp. chili powder
1 tbsp. ground cumin
1 1/2 tsp. dried basil
1 tbsp. sugar
1 1/2 tsp. salt
3/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper
3/8 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes
nonfat sour cream
fresh cilantro -- chopped
scallions -- chopped


Coat the bottom of a large, nonstick Dutch oven with olive oil cooking spray. Add the onion, garlic, carrots, zucchini, bell pepper, and corn. Cook over medium heat, stirring often, until the vegetables are softened, 7-10 minutes. Do not allow the vegetables to brown.

Add the tomatoes with their juices to the pot; stir in the tomato puree. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat to medium-low, partially cover, and simmer for 20 minutes.

Meanwhile, coat a large nonstick skillet with nonstick spray. Crumble the sausage into the pan and cook over medium heat, stirring to bread up any large clumps of meat, until the sausage is cooked through with no traces of pink, about 10 minutes. Drain on paper towels.

Add the sausage to the vegetables in the Dutch oven. Stir in the chili powder, cumin, basil, sugar, salt, pepper and hot pepper flakes; mix well. Cover and continue to cook over medium-low heat for 45 minutes.

Serve with a dollop of sour cream and a generous sprinkling of chopped cilantro, and/or scallions.

Nutritional analysis: 231 calories, 8g fat, 54mg chol per serving.
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