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Friday, December 7, 2012

Slow Cooker Sweet Potato Black Bean Chili

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 Next time I’ll double this chili. I’ll double it to avoid the inevitable charring that happens to the top layer when your crockpot isn’t very full and you leave it cooking for ten hours. Even more, though, I’ll double it because we liked it so much and there weren’t enough leftovers!
When we walked in the house after a long day at work, we were bombarded with spicy-sweet smells. The sweet potatoes lent an overall sweetness to the dish but the mixture of spices made this anything but bland! Topped with avocado, cilantro, and sour cream, this chili needed nothing more. We ate it with chips on the side, but you could also mix it with brown rice or even use it to top chicken.
Once again I’ve been reminded to stop cooking and let my crockpot cook for me! Choose a handful of these recipes and you can too!

One Year Ago: Pumpkin Cream Cheese Muffins
Two Years Ago: Turkey, Broccoli, and Cheddar Pie

Slow Cooker Sweet Potato Black Bean Chili
slightly adapted from Real Simple

Ingredients:
-1 tbsp olive oil
-1 onion, chopped
-1 bell pepper, chopped
-4 garlic cloves, chopped
-1 tbsp chili powder
-1 tbsp ground cumin
-2 tsp unsweetened cocoa powder
-1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
-kosher salt & black pepper
-1 (15 oz) can fire-roasted diced tomatoes
-1 (15 oz) can diced tomatoes
-1 (15 oz) can black beans, rinsed
-1 (15 oz) can kidney beans, rinsed
-2 medium sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch pieces
-sour cream, shredded cheese, avocado, cilantro, and tortilla chips, for serving

Directions:
1. In a large saucepan, heat 1 tbsp olive oil and add chopped onion and pepper. Saute until mostly soft, about 5 minutes. Add garlic and saute for an additional minute.
2. Transfer peppers and onions to slow cooker. Add chili powder, gumin, cocoa powder, and cinnamon. Season with salt and pepper. Add cans of tomatoes (with their liquid) and beans. followed by the sweet potatoes. 
3. Cover and cook on low for 7-8 hours or on high for 4-5 hours, until sweet potatoes are tender and chili is thick. 
4. Serve chili with sour cream, avocado, cheese, cilantro, and chips, or desired toppings.