On a cold day there is something so cozy about a bowl of chili. This recipe is a slight variation of a typical chili in that it includes sweet potato and barley. But don’t worry, it is kid-tested and kid-approved!
Sweet Potato Chili
2 TBS olive oil
1 onion, chopped
2 sweet potatoes, peeled and chopped into 1-inch pieces
2 carrots, sliced
2 celery stalks, thinly sliced
1 cup of corn
1 red pepper, diced
2 cloves of garlic, minced
1 TBS chili powder
1 tsp of chili garlic paste, optional (this adds quite a a bit of heat)
2 tsp salt
1 tsp of tumeric or cumin (or both!)
1 can kidney beans, drained
1 can black beans, drained
28 oz can of tomatoes (crushed or diced), with juice
1 6 oz can of tomato paste
1/2 cup barley *(see note)
Heat the oil in a large pot and saute the onions for about 3 minutes. Add the sweet potatoes, carrots, celery and the barley. Cook for 3 more minutes, stirring occasionally. This will toast the barley slightly.
Add the tomatoes with the juice and bring to a boil.
Add the rest of the ingredients. Turn the heat to simmer and allow the chili to cook for about 45 minutes or until the barley is soft. If the chili gets too thick feel free to add 1/2 cup of water.
*I like to add a whole grain to my chili to give it a bit of a “meatier” chili. Barley is a wonderful choice but it does take quite a while to cook(about 45-50 minutes). Quinoa and bulgur wheat are great alternatives that cook in about 20-25 minutes.
Source: WFM 1-10