Sweet Potato Three Bean Chili

I love a bowl of chili when its chilly outside. It warms you up and fills you up, without even trying too hard. I really enjoy trying chili when I’m out at local restaurants because EVERY chili is different. When I do, I waiver between meat or vegetarian chili, and either will do. But when it comes to my own homemade chili, I prefer strictly vegetarian. I’m always adding variety to my homemade chili by changing which vegetables I include or adding and omitting to the variety of beans. It continues to keep each bowl of chili unique.

Due to the giant organic sweet potatoes I had stored in my pantry, this particular three-bean chili had a delicious sweet and spicy component to it. The wonderful part of making chili is that there really are no rules. You can make a delicious bowl of chili in 40 minutes & you can slow-cook a batch of chili all day. You can make your chili cheesy, spicy, chunky, sweet, meaty or mild. There are so many different ways.

I had a JAM-packed weekend filled with work, fun & obligations, but unfortunately, I missed the chance to enter and attend the chili cook-off held at The Little Fleet on Saturday. I’ve been living vicariously through the Instagram images I’ve seen, but I’ve no doubt it was a great event. I’m looking forward to another cook-off next year, but I was inspired to share this recipe for one of my favorites with you now.

Sweet Potato Three Bean Chili

Serves 5

Preheat Oven to 400 degrees

ingredients:

• 2 large sweet potatoes, peeled and diced (Shiloh’s Garden)
• 1 medium yellow onion, diced (Isadore Farm)
• 8 oz black beans, drained
• 8 oz red beans, drained
• 8 oz garbanzo beans, drained
• 24 oz diced tomatoes
• 3 cloves of fresh garlic, diced (Loma Farm)
• 1 Tbsp Olive Oil
• 2 Tbsp cumin
• 1 Tbsp chili powder
• 1 cup vegetable broth
• salt & pepper to taste

directions:

Toss the diced sweet potatoes in a little olive oil and salt, then place on a cookie sheet and roast at 400 degrees for about 15 minutes. While the sweet potatoes are roasting place a soup pot on medium heat, add olive oil and diced yellow onion. Stir the onion until it becomes translucent (about 3-5 minutes), add garlic, cumin & chili powder and continue stirring occasionally for 3 more minutes. Add the remainder of the ingredients to the pot. After the sweet potatoes have roasted in the oven for 15 minutes add them to the pot. Now, bring the contents of the pot to a boil. Once boiling, turn down to low heat and place on a lid. Cook for 35-40 minutes and if all contents are tender the chili is ready to be served!

*Always top with sour cream and fresh cilantro

Do you have a favorite homemade chili recipe? or a must-try from a local restaurant? Share it!

and warm up with your favorite combination.

love,

tricia