Black Bean and Sweet Potato Chili

I have noticed that it’s been a while since I posted a new recipe.  I think there are a couple of reasons for that.  One is that October is so busy at our house that I tend to get on autopilot and fix the same five to seven meals over and over again.  And the other is that for a while I have been getting all my new cooking inspiration almost exclusively from the website 101 Cookbooks,  which is authored by Heidi Swanson.  She also has a cookbook out that looks so good to me.

I have yet to make something I did not like from this blog.  We’ve had Leek Soup with Dill Oil, Soup au Pistou, Coconut Red Lentil Soup, Kabocha French Lentil Soup and Rajasthani Buttermilk Curry.  We have loved them all.  We spread the garlicky pistou on bread for days after the soup was gone.  Next I am going to try her zucchini bread which looks especially yummy to me.

Now I am currently working my way through Crescent Dragonwagon’s wonderful cookbook, The Passionate Vegetarian in order to branch out from 101 Cookbooks.  I’ve been in stews and soups this week and this black bean chili was a crowd pleaser.  Also, it uses canned beans and Rotel which made it super easy!

Since it is a vegetarian cookbook, the recipe calls for soy crumbles that resemble cooked ground beef or sausage.  I ended up using turkey sausage crumbles that were already cooked.  I think either would work fine, depending on your meat preferences.

The temperatures are dropping in Arkansas today, so this soup is perfect for this weekend.  I have adjusted the original recipe to feed a crowd, since that’s what I have at my house even without extras. This version should fill your stock pot up so you can invite friends or eat leftovers, or maybe even both.

Black Bean and Sweet Potato Chili

10-16 ounces soy-sage crumbles (vegetarian option) or turkey sausage crumbles or any already cooked sausage

2 teaspoons olive oil

2 onions, chopped

3 cloves garlic, chopped

2 quarts vegetable stock

3 sweet potatoes, peeled and diced into half inch pieces

3 cans black beans, undrained

2 cans diced tomatoes with green chilies (Rotel)

salt and pepper

Cooked brown rice or other grain to serve with chili.

Heat oil in the bottom of a heavy dutch oven or soup pot.  Saute onions and garlic in oil for about three minutes.  Add vegetable stock and sweet potato.  Bring to a boil, then lower heat and let simmer until sweet potato is tender. (15 minutes)

Add beans, Rotel and sausage.  Bring to a soft boil, allowing all ingredients to heat through.  Serve over rice or with bread.

Enjoy!

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