If y’all haven’t noticed yet, I prefer my food eaten out of a bowl (a mug if the dishes haven’t been done in awhile). And I’ve got the perfect recipe to cozy up with during the dead of winter or any other dreary day. I’ve been back on campus for a few weeks and the weather has been crazier than ever. Which is saying a lot for Ohio. In those four weeks I managed to already underestimate the workload for my classes. It happens every semester, so you’d think I would’ve learned by now but here I am on my sixth semester! And at least I’m loving classes (for the most part). We’re finally getting into the nitty gritty of medical nutrition therapy (MNT). It sounds way crazier than it actually is. Basically, its just learning the best ways to treat specific medical conditions with nutrition and what the evidence-based practice for each is. Evidenced-based practice is a fancy term for following guidelines set forth after extensive research has be conducted on certain treatment types and all that jazz.
So sort of a shameless plug here, but be careful of where you’re getting your information. (I feel like our 3rd grade teachers telling us that not everything on the internet is true) But, hey it’s the truth! If your looking for good resources on specific diets and foods always seek info from credible sources and individuals with their degree in dietetics and RDN credentials, students with these focuses, and other professionals in exercise and fitness for that type of information. Eatright.org is a great resource for all the evidence-based info that you could wish for. It is run by the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, basically the big shots for all things nutrition. And as always if your looking to make changes in lifestyle and diet to talk to a RDN and your physician.
But enough of all that technical crap for now, and on to what’s really important. The food!
This one’s for Sweet Potato Chili. The spices and sweet potato balance each other perfectly. It’s great with cheese sprinkled on top, tortilla chips, or some corn bread. Not to mention it is so easy. Depending on your taste you can also add more or less spices to get the exact flavor you’re looking for. If sweet potato isn’t really your speed then swap it for a lean protein option like ground turkey or chicken. Honestly, you really can’t go wrong with it. I made it on a Sunday night and it fed me for the next 6 days!! And nothing is easier than plopping a bowl in the microwave and bang, you’ve got dinner.
Now what are you waiting for get to the grocery store and try it out! My favorite way to make meal prep more fun and less work is blasting my favorite Spotify playlist and dancing while I do it! Whatever your jam is I’m sure you’ll enjoy this dish.
Sweet Potato Chili
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 45 minutes to 1 hour and 30 minutes
Ingredients:
- 2 Tbsp olive-oil
- Salt and pepper
- 1 medium white onion diced
- 1 medium carrot diced
- 1 celery stalk diced
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 1 tsp cumin
- 1 tsp paprika
- 1 tsp chili powder
- 2 cans diced tomatoes
- ¼ cup tomato paste
- 1 can black beans, drained and rinsed
- 1 can red kidney beans/chili beans, drained and rinsed
- 1 large sweet potato cut into 1 inch cubes
Directions:
- Cut onion, carrot, celery, garlic, sweet potato and keep separate.
- Add olive-oil to a large pot and heat on medium.
- Once the oil is hot add the celery and stir until slightly soft and translucent. About 5 minutes.
- Add the carrot, celery, garlic and mix with onion. Stir every so often for the next 3 minutes.
- Add spices to mixture, stirring for about the next minute.
- Next, add the tomatoes, tomato paste, sweet potato, and beans.
- Mix ingredients thoroughly and let cook (covering will help cook the potato faster) for at least 45 minutes. Stir occasionally. Test the sweet potato every so often to see if it at the consistency you prefer. Once you’ve reached your desired consistency it is ready to be eaten or stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator.
