Sweet Potato Chili

Ingredients:

Chili Powder:

4 teaspoons ground mild red chiles (I used Hatch New Mexico Red Chile Powder)

1 teaspoon salt

½ teaspoon cracked black pepper

1 teaspoon cumin

1 teaspoon smoked paprika

¼ teaspoon fresh nutmeg

¼ teaspoon allspice

¼ teaspoon tumeric

Pinch cinnamon

Chili:

2 teaspoons olive oil

½ of a medium onion, chopped

½ cup sliced leek

½ teaspoon fresh ginger, minced

1 clove of garlic, minced

3 sage leaves, minced

3 medium sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into ½ inch cubes

3 cups vegetable stock

1 package (8 ounces) Trader Joe’s Beefless ground beef or any other veggie crumbles

1 can dark red kidney beans, rinsed and drained

1 small can tomato paste

1 parmesan cheese rind (about 3 inches long by 1 inch wide), optional

Garnishes (optional):

Sour cream

Shredded cheddar cheese

Oyster crackers

  

Directions:

Mix chili powder ingredients in a bowl and set aside. In a large pot, heat oil and add onion and leek. Cook until tender then add ginger, garlic, and sage. Add half the chili powder and stir. Cook on low for 5 minutes. Add sweet potatoes, stock, veggie crumbles, kidney beans, the rest of the chili powder, parmesan rind and tomato paste. Stir and bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer and cover. Cook, stirring often, for 2 hours. Remove the parmesan rind before serving. Garnish as you will!