Mild Turkey and Hidden Veggie Chili

Preheat your oven to 425°F. Grease an 8-inch baking pan with 1 tsp of the vegetable oil.

Peel 2 medium carrots. Roughly chop 1 medium yellow onion, 1 medium red bell pepper, and the peeled carrots. Place them all into a food processor and pulse until they are very finely minced, forming a textured paste.

In a medium bowl, whisk together 1 cup yellow cornmeal, 1 cup self-rising flour, and 1 tsp salt. Add 1 cup whole milk, 1 large egg, and 2 tbsp vegetable oil. Stir the batter until just combined, then pour it into the greased baking pan. Bake for 15 minutes until the edges are golden brown.

While the cornbread bakes, heat 1 tbsp vegetable oil in a large pot over medium-high heat. Add 3 lb raw ground turkey and cook, breaking it up with a wooden spoon, for 7 minutes until fully browned and no longer pink.

Stir the finely minced onion, pepper, and carrot mixture into the browned turkey. Add 1 tsp mild chili powder, 1 tbsp ground cumin, and 1 tsp salt. Sauté for 3 minutes until the vegetables release their moisture and blend into the meat.

Pour in 15 oz canned tomato sauce and 15 oz canned crushed tomatoes. Stir well to combine, bring to a gentle simmer, then reduce heat to medium-low. Cover and simmer for 10 minutes to allow the flavors to meld and the hidden veggies to soften completely into the sauce.

Remove the chili from the heat. Carefully measure out exactly half of the cooked chili (approximately 1.5 lb of the turkey portion with its sauce) and transfer it to an airtight container. Let it cool, then cover and refrigerate to reserve for Day 7 lunch. Slice the warm cornbread and serve the remaining half of the chili immediately to the household.