Sweet Potato Turkey Chili

Happy Holidays Divas!

Can you believe the holidays are just around the corner?

I can't.

This year simply flew by. I've been deeply bogged down, finishing my new book so I can move it to the next stage and share it with my agent. That task accomplished, now my sites are trained on the domestic front and all that has been neglected. My massive laundry pile being culprit number one. And all the other million things that have to be accomplished before we fly out on Saturday. We'll be spending a week up in the Blue Ridge Mountains with my family. Can't wait!

But in the meantime, here's one of my favorite winter recipes for Sweet Potato Turkey Chili.  I made this for a dinner party the day after Thanksgiving in Des Moines, and it was a big hit. This recipe uses lean ground turkey, but if you have leftover turkey from a holiday meal, you can add it at the end of cooking instead of browning at the beginning. It's full of spices and great winter flavors. It's also super healthy—packed with protein and nutrients. Garnish the chili however you'd like (a list of options is below).

Have a great (and most importantly delicious) holiday—and as you're preparing meals, don't forget to check out my recipe archive. There are a ton of great recipe ideas perfect for this holiday season.

Just click here to browse the DOMESTIC DIVAS RECIPE ARCHIVE

Sweet Potato Turkey Chili

Serves 4-6 people
Cooking time: about 40 minutes
Dairy-free; gluten-free

Ingredients

1 pound lean ground turkey
1 medium onion, chopped
1 red bell pepper, seeded chopped
4 garlic cloves, peeled and chopped
2 tablespoons chili powder
1 teaspoon ground cumin
2 teaspoons unsweetened cocoa powder
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
salt and freshly ground pepper
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons tomato paste
1 15-ounce can diced tomatoes
1 15-ounce can white beans, rinsed
1 15-ounce can red kidney beans, rinsed
3 cups chicken stock
1 medium sweet potato (about 8 ounces), peeled and cut into 1⁄2-inch pieces

for garnishing (optional):

cilantro, sliced scallions, sliced radishes, brown rice or quinoa, tortilla chips

serve with Domestic Divas Honey Cornbread

Directions

1. Heat the olive oil in a large, heavy-bottomed pot over medium high heat. Add the turkey and saute, until cooked through (about five minutes). Add the onion and bell pepper and saute until softened and translucent, about 5 more minutes.

2. Add the garlic, chili powder, cumin, cocoa powder, and cinnamon. Stir into mixture and cook for another minute, until the spices become fragrant. Add the tomatoes, tomato paste, stock, beans, and sweet potatoes and bring the mixture to a simmer. Cover and cook over low heat for about 30 minutes, or until the sweet potatoes have softened.

4. Uncover and cook over medium heat for about ten more minutes to thicken the chili if desired. Season to taste with salt and freshly ground pepper.

5. To serve, ladle a generous helping of chili into a bowl. Garnish as desired (see above for garnish ideas—I love serving chili with brown rice, quinoa, or cornbread).  Enjoy!