Slow Cooker Sweet Potato Chili

Despite the bad photo, this sweet potato chili is outstanding and a perfect easy meal to make for a group!.Thanksgiving side anyone?

My daughter in Law, Wendy, made a fabulous dinner buffet the other night which included this delicious sweet potato chili. I'm not normally a chili lover, but I loved this recipe. It had some unusual ingredients including cocoa and cinnamon. Wendy had about ten for dinner, a variety of dishes, but everyone seemed to really like the chili the best!.

Optional: You can also add fresh corn

As an easy entertaining tip
Wendy served the chili right out of  the crock pot  on her buffet table to keep it piping hot for her guests to serve themselves.

                                


Got Butternut Squash? 
I use sweet potato and butternut squash interchangeably. Sweet potato is a little thicker, but both are bright orange vegetables that provide similar flavors. Butternut squash may be a little lighter on the carbs and calories. This could be a great addition if you have a having a crowd for Thanksgiving. ( especially if you are having any vegetarians or vegans)

Need to eat more fiber? 
You can't go wrong with this hearty, heart healthy recipe- beans 

(fiber), vegetables (vitamins and minerals), healthy spices

(antioxidants) that is so delicious and so good for you. It's also gluten-free, vegan, and oil free, making it a versatile dish if you have guests with eating restrictions.

Weeknight Convenience 
It's also a great meal for your family for a weekday meal.
Put the ingredients in the crock pot before you go to work. Come home to a fragrant warm nourishing dinner not fast food.

I eat it with a salad ( and my fabulous cranberry dressing see recipe at end of post) and feel very satisfied! 

Beans are really healthy read:  6 powerful reasons black beans are so good for you.

                                            

Ingredients:
1 med red pepper , seeded and chopped
1 28 ounce can of fire roasted tomatoes
16 oz of black beans. cooked (if you don't make your own, use 1- 16 oz can)
16 oz of kidney beans, cooked (if you don't make your own, use 

1- 16 oz can)
1 large sweet potato, cubed (or 1 and cups butternut squash cubed)
1 T ground cumin
2 tsp unsweetened cocoa
1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
Salt and pepper to taste

Instructions :
Combine red pepper and cumin, cocoa, and cinnamon and place in a 4-6 qt. slow cooker and add sweet potatoes, tomatoes, black and kidney beans. Cook on low for 7-8 hours until vegetables are softened.
serves 6 dinners- for a larger crowd , double the recipe.

Recipe for Cranberry Dressing    for salad.. ( This is one AMAZING dressing)
2 Tablespoons of raw organic honey (or maple syrup grade B)
Juice and the fruit of one large navel orange
1/4 cup of organic cranberries ( I found them in the supermarket) 
2 slices of fresh ginger ( a must if you like the taste of ginger)
1 TBsp lemon juice
1/4 cup of water

I made this dressing in seconds in my new  Nutribullet  very high power blender ( works like a Vitamix, but is much less expensive) .It's small, compact, easy to use, and takes up very little space and the plastic containers are BPA free..



Shared on Beth Fish Reads Weekend Cooking 

at Beth Fish Reads, 

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