Sweet potato and black bean chipotle chili

Its week #1 of the new year. I'm feeling good about my resolutions. I started a new yoga class this week that I love, I am well rested, catching up on lots of reading, and planning a lot regarding my meals. Being the new year, I have been getting lots of questions from co-workers about dieting. My best advice.... don't diet. Stop obsessing over dieting and losing weight. Start thinking about being healthy. Think about what foods you need to eat more of and not what you need to stay away from. Write down everything you eat for a few weeks. This helps to show you the big picture of what you are missing or eating too much of. What makes you feel good and strong? Start cooking. Make big batches of healthy foods so that you have extra for lunches. It helps take the guess work out of what to eat when you already have something ready to go in the refrigerator. When you get tired of eating it... freeze it for a dinner later that month.


Here is my big batch of black bean, sweet potato chili. I found it in Eating Well magazine this month. It is full of vitamin A, vitamin C, and has over half your day's requirement for fiber. Plus, at 307 calories per serving, it helps to take the weight off.

Sweet Potato and Black Bean Chili

1 T. extra-virgin olive oil

1 medium to large sweet potato

1 large onion

4 cloves of garlic

2 T. chili powder

4 t. ground cumin

1/2 t. ground chipotle powder

1/4 t. salt

2 1/2 c water

1. Heat oil in a large pot or dutch oven. Add sweet potato and onion. Cook about 4 minutes or until soft. Add garlic, chili powder, cumin, chipotle and salt. Cook for 30 seconds.


2. Add water and bring to a simmer. Cover and reduce heat. Cook for 10 or 12 more minutes until sweet potato is tender. Add beans, tomatoes, and lime juice( I also added 1 c. of roasted corn). Increase heat and cook another 10 minutes until it is slightly reduced.

3. Remove from heat and stir in cilantro. I topped off with some more lime juice and some crushed tortilla chips.

Healthy Eating!