9/3 Sweet Potato Black Bean Chili
Happy Meatless Monday.
Every time I use my Crock-pot I marvel at how much it feels like magic. I put in a bunch of liquid, seasonings and raw food, secure the lid, then leave it alone for several hours as it lovingly creates a gourmet meal. Nothing can make meatless, weeknight meals easier than a Crock-pot. If you are without one, leave now, go to Target, borrow your neighbor’s, or get one for $5 bucks at the next garage sale you see.
As a parting gift from Summer, our tomato plants have gone stark raving mad. We have had more tomatoes than 20 vegans on a tomato bender could consume. So, I decided to roast them and use them to create a chili. If you would like to skip the roasting part, use canned tomatoes, fresh poblanos and tomatillos.
I added sweet potatoes and black beans because I wanted it to have warmth and a little bit of sweet. I also wanted it to cook itself so I could do other things. Enter, my beloved Crock-pot. The Crock Pot carefully and lovingly slow cooked this chili all day while we did what ever we wanted to do. When we were ready, dinner was ready. Love that.
Sweet Potato Black Bean Chili
by S. Duquet and S. Boulton
Ingredients for Roasting:
12 C Tomatoes (I used a mish mash of yellow and heirloom tomatoes which gave the finished chili a golden hue. Whatever color you have will be perfect.)
4 Pobano peppers seeded and chopped (wear gloves)
8 Tomatillos with outer dry skins removed
3 cloves of garlic, peeled
Ingredients for Chili
4 diced orange or red peppers
2 diced sweet potatoes skin on
4 diced stalks of celery
4 Tbsp Cumin
1 Tbsp Garlic powder
2 tsp coarse salt
1 C low sodium veg broth
3 cans of black beans, rinsed and drained
1/4 C brown sugar
Make it Happen:
~Chop all the veggies to be roasted (tomatos, poblanos, tomatillos) approximately the same size and put in a bowl with garlic cloves. (If you are going to use canned tomatoes with poblanos and tomatillos for this instead of roasting, skip down to the “Blend ingredients” instructions).
~Drizzle with a teeny bit of olive oil and toss to coat.
~Spread in a single layer on a baking sheet. I used two baking sheets.
~Bake in a 350 degree oven for 35 minutes. Remove the garlic if it begins to brown.
~Remove from oven and cool enough to handle. Blend all ingredients in a food processor until smooth. At this point you may strain through a collander to remove the pieces of tomato skin. They look like little red or yellow shards throughout your finished chili unless you remove them. They are edible and do not change the flavor of the chili, only the appearance and texture. I did not strain and just ate the skin. It is purely a matter of preference.
~Pour into crock pot then add “Ingredients for Chili” from chopped peppers through brown sugar.
~Cover and cook for 6-8 hours on high or until sweet potatoes are fully cooked. 
This chili is so warm and flavorful. The sweet potatoes complement the rich, roasted veggies to create a new standard for an old favorite. Serve with Cinnamon Scented Cayenne Corn Bread for an easy yet unforgettable meatless meal.
Have a delicious day.
Tags: compassionate eating, crock pot cooking, Meatless Monday, Meatless Monday recipe, plant based diet, roasted tomato and tomatillo chili, sweet potato and black beans, sweet potato chili, trying vegan, vegan chili, vegan crock pot recipe, vegan wannabe, vegetarian chili, vegetarian crock pot recipe
