Black Bean & Sweet Potato Chili

I've been looking for a really good vegetable chili for a while.  I've found a few over the years, but was never brave enough to serve a MEATLESS chili to my husband for dinner.  For the past several months, we've been trying to add more meatless meals to our menu plans.  Less meat is healthier and cheaper. 

Since Joe has been open to the idea of meatless meals, I knew right away when I found this recipe that I wanted to try it!  But true to form, I made a few changes here and there.



Black Bean & Sweet Potato Chili

Ingredients: 

• 3/4 cup red bell pepper, diced
• 1 onion, diced
• 1/2 tsp. garlic powder
• 1 poblano pepper, diced & seeded
• 1 Tbs. olive oil
• 2 1/2 tsp. cumin
• 2 Tbs. chili powder
• 28 oz. crushed tomatoes
• 8 oz. chicken broth (or vegetable)
• 1 tsp. Mrs. Dash
• 1/2 tsp. black pepper
• 1/2 tsp. dried oregano
• 1 large carrot, peeled and diced
• 1 sweet potato, diced
• 2 1/2 cups frozen corn
• 37.5 oz. black beans
• 1 cup fire roasted salsa
• 2 bay leaves
• 14 oz. can petite diced tomatoes
• 1 1/4 tsp. Wondra (or your favorite thickener)
• shredded cheese and/or sour cream (optional)

Directions:

• In a large pot, saute onion and peppers in hot oil over medium-high heat.  Cook for about 5 minutes or until onion is tender. 
• Add garlic powder, cumin and chili powder and saute for another minute or two. 
• Lower heat to medium-low and stir in the crushed tomatoes and broth.  If you plan on thickening the chili later, reserve 1/4 cup of the broth for later.  Stir and scrape sides of pan to remove any browned bits in the pot. 
• Add remaining ingredients (except the cornstarch, reserved broth and shredded cheese and sour cream). 
• If you wish to thicken the chili, whisk together the cornstarch & reserved broth until smooth.  Pour the mix into the chili pot.  Stir until mixed well. 
• Bring chili to a boil for 2 mintues.
• Reduce heat to low.  Simmer, uncovered for 1 hour. 
• Cover and simmer for another 30 minutes. 
• Serve in bowls and top with sour cream or shredded cheese if desired. 

Remember I said that I was leary of serving this to my husband?  I originally planned on just having this on the stove, ready to put on the table when he walked in from work.  Just before he left work, he called asking me what I had planned for dinner.  I told him and boy, could I hear the skepticism in his voice!  I knew he thought I was crazy!  Chili without meat??  No way! 

He even tried to stall dinner.  He was checking the mail, playing with the dog, taking his boots off....anything to avoid sitting down to dinner. 

I placed a chunk of cornbread in the bottom of a bowl, then scooped a large portion of chili right on top of the cornbread.  Joe added sour cream to his, I enjoyed mine plain.

I really liked the chili.  A lot.  I didn't miss the meat at all.  It was a nice and hearty meal.  And for as leery Joe was about the meal, he also really enjoyed it.  This recipe made enough for dinner for the two of us for two nights and I still have a small container in the freezer that I plan on serving on wraps as a black bean and sweet potato burrito!

This recipe is a keeper!  In fact, I plan on adding it to my menu plan agan soon.  This week is starting off to be pretty cool and brisk.  If the cool weather keeps up, I'll be making up a pot of this for a nice and cozy meal! 

Notes:

• I used dried beans in place of the canned beans.  I like to cook a couple bags of dry beans and keep them in zip lock bags in the freezer.  They thaw pretty quick and can usually be added to recipes while still partially frozen. 
• I used chicken broth because that was what I had handy at the time.  This could easily be a vegetarian meal, if you use canned or homemade vegetable broth instead. 
• This would probably work well in the crock pot, too. 

I'll be linking this post to the following blog carnivals: 

• Anything Related
• Slightly Indulgent Tuesdays
• Tasty Tuesday
• Tuesdays at the Table
• Tempt My Tummy Tuesday
• Hearth and Soul Hop - Volume 21
• Tuesday Night Supper Club
• Delicious Dishes
• Tuesday Twister
• Tasty Tuesdays
• What's on the Menu Wednesday
• Works for Me Wednesday
• What's Cooking Wednesday
• Food on Fridays
• Foodie Friday
• Vegetarian Foodie Fridays
• Homemaker Mondays
• Mouthwatering Mondays
• My Meatless Mondays
• Just Another Meatless Monday
• Monday Mania
• MMMmonday
• What's Cooking?  Wednesday
• Life in a Shoe
• Chili Cook Off