AWH Recipe: Sweet Potato Turkey Chili

Chili is something that I get most excited about during the fall. It is one of my favorites because it can be a healthy, hearty dish that is inexpensive, and I can batch cook and reheat leftovers. Chili is best if eaten within 3-4 days, or you can freeze within that time for a ready-made meal for a later date. Let’s look at the benefits and why it makes such a great meal.

Versatile: One of my favorite things about chili is it is so customizable; adding your favorite vegetables, protein, and beans ensures you will love your chili. You can have a traditional chili with kidney beans, ground beef, tomatoes and peppers, or a white chicken chili with chicken great northern beans and green chili peppers. Or a black bean and sweet potato chili. Sweet potatoes are anti-inflammatory and rich in Vitamin A, fiber, and Vitamin C. Including other vegetables like carrots, pumpkins and celery can help make the chili filling. You can also customize through your toppings, like I use nonfat Greek yogurt instead of sour cream for a bit of additional protein, calcium and Vitamin D. I usually add macaroni noodles, but sometime will bake spaghetti squash to use instead of the noodles for another veggie!

Protein: Even vegetarian chili contains a good amount of protein from the beans and possibly lentils. Per 1 cup serving, the protein content can be anywhere from 16-26 g protein! Depending on your specific needs, this could be around 30% of your recommended intake of protein for the day. I find that chili is also a great way to stretch a pound of meat into multiple servings of the meal, making it an inexpensive staple for me during colder months.

Fiber: Unless you are making a chili without beans, the fiber content of one cup of chili is usually around 6-10 grams, which is around 25% or more of your recommended intake for the day. Fiber is satiating, meaning it will keep you full for a long time!

Here is a delicious recipe for a sweet potato and turkey chili. Happy fall, y’all!

Recipe: Sweet Potato Turkey Chili

Ingredients:

• 1 lb ground turkey (lean, if preferred)
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 2 bell peppers, chopped
• 1 jalapeño, chopped (deseed if you don’t like spice)
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 large sweet potato, cubed (no need to skin)
• 2 1/2 tbsp chili powder
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• 1 tsp dried oregano
• 1 tsp sea salt
• 1/2 tsp ground black pepper
• 1 28 ounce can diced tomatoes
• 1 cup tomato sauce
• 1 can black beans, drained and rinsed
• 1 can kidney beans, drained and rinsed

Instructions

1. Heat olive oil in a large pot over med-high heat. Add ground turkey and cook until browned (About 3-4 mins).
2. Add in onions and cook for 3 more minutes.
3. Add in peppers, jalapeno and garlic and cook for another 2 mins.
4. Add in sweet potato, spices, diced tomatoes, tomato sauce and beans and bring mix to a boil. If mixture is too thick add in 1/2-1 cup water.
5. Once boiling lower heat to a simmer and cook for about 30-40 minutes, uncovered or until desired consistency is reached.

Recipe By Healthy Maven

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