Pumpkin Chili at NW Tower

Supper Club Food Demo's helps us highight that sometimes walking through a pantry isn’t just about picking up groceries, it’s about imagining meals.

At NW Tower Apartments, that moment of imagination came to life during a recent Supper Club food demo featuring Pumpkin Chili, prepared and served alongside Lift UP staff and volunteers from Congregation Beth Israel.

Congregation Beth Israel is an Adopt a Building partner for NW Tower, supporting residents through pop-up pantry distributions, delivered groceries, and hands-on Supper Club cooking demos. This partnership

shows up in meaningful, tangible ways, by being present in the building, cooking together, and sharing food with care.

During this demo, residents were invited to taste the chili, ask questions, and see the recipe come together in real time. Many were surprised to learn that pumpkin was one of the main ingredients.

“When tasting the recipe, residents were surprised to learn that pumpkin was in the chili. We love showing creative ways to use the food we provide.”

That moment of surprise sparked curiosity and confidence, proof that familiar pantry ingredients can be used in unexpected and satisfying ways.

A Recipe Rooted in the Building

The Pumpkin Chili recipe was created by Ashley, a Lift UP Resident Advocate. Resident Advocates live in the buildings they support and play a critical role in Lift UP’s food security work. As neighbors themselves, they bring deep, firsthand knowledge of the needs, preferences, and realities of the community, acting as a trusted bridge between residents and Lift UP programs.

Ashley developed this recipe in response to abundance. Pumpkin has been widely available across Lift UP’s on-site building pantries and Delivered Grocery Boxes, and this chili offers a flexible, comforting way to turn that ingredient into a nourishing meal that stretches.

As part of the demo, 75 food demo bags filled with Pumpkin Chili ingredients were assembled and shared with residents, each paired with a recipe card made with help from kids at Congregation Beth Israel. The experience wasn’t about teaching people how to cook, it was about reinforcing dignity, creativity, and confidence around food access.

A pot of chili may seem simple. But in the context of a pantry, it becomes something more: a shared experience, a practical tool, and a reminder that nourishing meals are possible, right here, with what we already have.

Fall Harvest Chili (Pumpkin Chili)

Ingredients

1-2 Tb veg oil (or fat from ground meat browning if using) 1 onion, chopped 

1 bell pepper, chopped – use red, yellow, or green 

2-3 cloves of garlic or 1 Tb garlic powder 

1 15 oz can kidney beans, drained & rinsed 

1 15 oz can black beans, drained & rinsed 

1 15 oz can red beans, drained and rinsed 

1 15 oz can pumpkin puree (not pumpkin pie puree) 

2 15 oz can canned tomatoes, w/ juices – fire roasted, stewed, crushed or diced 

1 can or 2 1/2 c of vegetable broth, commercially produced or homemade 

½ c water if using a can of broth 

1 ½ Tb chili powder 

2 tsp ground cumin 

½ tsp salt (to taste) 

¾ tsp black pepper (to taste) 

½ tsp ground cinnamon 

1 tsp-2 Tb brown sugar (to taste) 

Directions

1. In a large pot or Dutch oven add and heat oil. Add onion and bell pepper. Cook over medium, stirring until softened, 10-12 minutes. 

2. Stir in garlic, chili powder, cumin, salt, pepper and cinnamon. Cook for 30 sec to 1 min. 

3. Stir in tomatoes (with juice), kidney beans, black beans, pumpkin puree, broth and cooked meat if using. Bring to a boil over med-high. Reduce heat to med-low, cover and cook, stirring occasionally, until the flavors meld, from 20 mins to 1 hr. 

4. Serve garnished with pumpkin seeds (papitas) sour cream, cheese and avocado, if desired. 

5. Refrigerate leftovers within 2 hours. 

Notes

Consider adding 1-2 pounds of cooked mushrooms, faux meat crumbles or shredded or roasted vegetables or squash to bulk out chili.

To make a meat version add 1 lb ground meat - turkey, chicken, pork or beef or combination. Can use leftovers from whole cooked turkey or chicken, think Thanksgiving leftovers or rotisserie chicken on special.

Can sub chicken or turkey broth.

Broth can be substituted with bouillon. If using bouillon, eliminate added salt when adding spices to chili.

In place of seasonings, use Taco Seasoning mix packet

Add sugar to taste to help counter acidity of tomatoes and using canned tomatoes.