Vegetarian Sweet Potato Chili

adapted from Cookie and Kate

Clockwise (7'oclock) - chili powder, cumin, cayenne pepper, cocoa powder & cinnamon.

black and kidney

Hearty and Delicious!

Ingredients:

• 1 medium red onion, chopped
• 1 green bell pepper, chopped
• 1 red bell pepper, chopped
• 1 medium sweet potato, peeled and cut into 1/2 inch pieces
• 4 garlic gloves, chopped
• 1 tablespoon chili powder (Lamesa Dark chili)
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper (amount is adjustable depending on tolerance)
• 2 teaspoons unsweetened cocoa powder (Dutch)
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon (Indonesian)
• ground sea salt and black pepper
• 28 ounces canned diced tomatoes, including the liquid (Muir Glen)
• 1 can black beans, rinsed and drained (365 brand Whole Foods)
• 1 can kidney beans, rinsed and drained (365 brand Whole Foods)
• 14 ounce vegetable broth or about 2 cups (365 brand Whole Foods)
• extra virgin olive oil 

Method:

1. In a 4 to 6 quart Dutch oven or stockpot, add 2 tablespoons olive oil and sauté the chopped vegetables and garlic on medium-high heat.  Stir the ingredients every few minutes for even cooking.
2. Once the onions start turning translucent, turn the heat down to medium-low.  Add all of the spices, broth and canned ingredients, and stir.  Cover for about 1 to 2 hours, stirring occasionally.
3. By the time your chili is done, the sweet potatoes should be nice and soft and the liquid should have reduced a bit, producing the hearty chili consistency.

Notes:

• Cookie and Kate adapted this recipe from Real Simple
• Sour cream, sliced scallions, sliced radishes for serving (optional) I keep the chili as is, it is simple and delicious.  I think a nice slice of jalapeño corn bread or the Chile Cheddar bread from Zingerman's Bakery, Ann Arbor, MI  would be a great pairing with this wonderful hearty chili.
• Pomi brand, chopped tomatoes, uses BPA-free containers. (To learn more about products with or without BPA packaging go to this link)
• I buy all my spices and loose leaf teas from Spice Merchants, Ann Arbor, MI. They have a large selection of fresh, great quality and variety of spices for reasonable prices.
• I like to use Garnet Yams, which are actually sweet potatoes, it has a sweet flavor and the starchy texture easily absorbs the flavors of other ingredients.