September 12, 2017
It’s hard to believe that just last week I was grasping onto summer like my life depended on it. However, a recent trip home to Iowa caused me to do a 180: the second I drew in my first breath of chilled morning air, those summer dreams of sunshine and long days were replaced with pigskin and changing leaves. That’s right Fall, I am ready for you. And with this new season comes the return of football and a classic tailgating standby – hearty, mouthwatering chili!
After spending almost 10 days back home helping prepare for my sister’s wedding, I’m feeling all sorts of sentimental this week. The time spent with family celebrating her special day was priceless, leaving me reflecting inward on the importance of life, love and everything in between. So what do I do to quiet down that sentimental voice in my head? Turn to comfort food, of course!
Chili is a home-cooking classic and was something we always enjoyed in mom’s kitchen once the weather cooled down. This is a spruced-up version of a timeless dish, especially perfect if you are on your first Whole30 or you are still struggling with cravings. It’s great because it TRULY fills you up, leaving no room for those “snacky-at-midnight” hunger pangs. Here are a couple more reasons this dish is so great:
- Ingredients. This dish houses all the main groups you need to keep you full for longer. Protein, Fat, Fiber & Greens. Alright, alright, there are no greens in this recipe (or at least not enough to categorize as greens) so I often pair this with a light salad.
- A little goes a long way. THIS DISH IS HEARTY. You will not be hungry after eating this, and you can be satifsfied knowing it was made up of clean ingredients & is uber nutritious!
- Did someone say leftovers? Because you’re gonna have them whether you like it or not (see #2). I adore leftovers for two main reasons: (1) I find most dishes taste better after a little extra time to marinate in their ingredients, and (2) super easy lunches! These sweet potatoes were even better on day 2, in this eater’s humble opinion.
Bring on the Fall!
Ingredients
- 4 sweet potatoes, small to medium in size
- 1 tbsp coconut oil (optional see instructions)
- 2 Tbsp avocado oil
- 1/2 c diced yellow onion
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 lb ground beef or turkey
- 1 1/2 Tbsp chili powder
- 1 Tbsp cumin
- 2 tsp oregano
- 1 tsp chipotle powder
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 3 Tbsp tomato paste
- 2 C tomato sauce
- 1 C (8 oz) beef stock
- Optional Garnish: cilantro, avocado, diced jalapeno
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees
- Rub sweet potatoes with a small amount of preferred oil, I use coconut. Puncture each sweet potato 4-6 times with a fork or knife & wrap in aluminum foil. Place potatoes directly on oven rack or on a baking sheet. Bake for 45-60 minutes.
- Before starting the chili, I like to mix all my dry spices (chili powder, cumin, oregano, chipotle & garlic powder) in a small dish in order to add quickly to the meat while it's cooking. This is an optional step. If you wish, complete this step now.
- Over medium heat, add 2 Tbsp avocado oil to a large pan. Add your diced onions to the oil and allow to soften, about 2 minutes. Add garlic & stir until fragrant, about seconds.
- Add the beef & dry seasonings to the pan. Begin to mix & seperate the meat with a spatula to combine all the ingredients in the pan. Cook until beef is browned, about 3 minutes.
- Add tomato paste, tomato sauce & beef stock to the pan. Mix until the tomato paste is fully broken down. Reduce heat to low, cover, & allow chili mixture to simmer for 15 minutes.
- When the sweet potatoes are fully cooked, remove from oven & allow to cool. When ready to eat, gently slice the sweet potatoes down the middle & top with chili & optional garnishes.
