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.

perfect roast chicken

Serves 4

organic free range chicken

 herbs and such

Ingredients:

• 1 (3 to 4 pound) roasting chicken
• sea salt 
• ground pepper
• a bunch of fresh thyme (10-15 sprigs)
• fresh rosemary (6-8 sprigs)
• 1 bulb of garlic, cut in half crosswise
• 1 lemon, whole, (use the zest of the lemon for the herb mixture) 
• extra virgin olive oil (I like the 365 brand from Whole Foods -100% Italian cold pressed) 4-6 Tablespoons
• 1 tablespoon vegan butter 

Method:

1. Preheat the oven to 475 degrees F. 
2. Rinse the chicken inside and out.  Pat the outside dry. Remove any excess fat and giblets.
3. Bring the chicken to room temperature (30 minutes) prior to putting it in the oven. 
4. Place the chicken in a roasting pan 
5. Prepare the herb mixture: remove the "leaves" from the sprigs, roughly chop or mince rosemary and thyme - place herbs into a bowl and add olive oil, zest of 1 lemon, sea salt, and black pepper.
6. Using the tip of a sharp knife, carefully prick the lemon all over
7. Stuff the cavity with half of the herb mixture, half of the garlic bulb, and the whole lemon.
8. Rub the rest of the herb mixture under the skin of the chicken breast. Season the top of the chicken with a pinch of sea salt and ground black pepper.  Coat the skin with 1 tablespoon of vegan butter - this produces a crispier skin.
9. Cover the chicken with aluminum foil (Turn oven down to 425 degrees F) and bake for 1 hour and 30 minutes or until juices run clear between leg and thigh with temperatures at 165-175 degrees F.
10. Remove from oven and allow chicken to rest for 10 minutes before serving. 

Roasted Vegetables

organic carrots (farmer's market at Cobblestone farm - Ann Arbor, MI) and parsnips

organic butternut squash

Ingredients:

• 1 medium sweet potato
• 2 parsnips
• 1 medium butternut squash
• carrots (optional)
• sea salt
• ground black pepper
• 1 -2 tablespoons, fresh sage (chopped)
• extra virgin olive oil  (drizzle over vegetables, 2 tbsp)

Method:

1. Cut the vegetables into pieces and place onto a baking sheet.  Then evenly coat with olive oil and sprinkle sea salt, ground black pepper, and sage.    
2. While the chicken is roasting (the last 30-40 minutes), put the baking sheet into the oven.  
3. To make sure the vegetables are cooked through, insert a fork - the fork should slide in without resistance, but still have some firmness to it. (of course, that depends on your preference, you may bake another 5-10 minutes for a softer texture.)
4. Enjoy these roasted vegetables alongside the roasted chicken or by itself.  It's wonderful either way.