Okay. After you read this post, please don’t hate me or call me names. I apologize for not sharing this recipe with you sooner because it is absolutely delicious. I’m talking really, really good like I bought a bucket of sweet potatoes at the farmers market after making this one time and used all of the potatoes up in less than two weeks. I kept making it and everyone in the house kept eating it. This is probably the first time I’ve used sweet potatoes as the main ingredient in any dish as opposed to a tasty side to a main course.

If you’re a blogger, then you know our mantra is “just one more click” which will take us to just one more blog. The reason this is so is because that “one more click,” could lead us to our new “best friend,” a blog discussing a topic of great interest, or in this matter a blog that is not only fun, but where I found this absolutely yummy delicious recipe shared by Joy at You Know We’re an Art Family. I found that blog through Tifi Blogs and right now, I’m just so glad that I did “just one more click.”

When I say chili, the first thing that may come to your mind is a bowl full of beef and beans. As a vegetarian, when I say chili, I usually mean beans, but never in my wildest dreams would I ever think or say sweet potato. What is a sweet potato doing in chili? Well, how about making it one of the most delicious chilies I’ve had in a while. What led me to make this chili was the finished product on Joy’s blog. When it comes to cooking, I’m a real sucker for pictures. Call me SUCKER!

The recipe doesn’t call for red onions it just calls for onions, but I’ve been on a red onion kick and often use red whenever it does not state in a recipe. Red onions are not as sweet as white.

I use to only use white onions, Vadalia onions to be exact, or scallions and rarely, if at all used red onions. One day, a friend of mine served me a salad with red, thinly sliced onions. I couldn’t get enough and, for the moment, have replaced scallions in my salad with red onions. What type of onion do you prefer? White, sweet white, red, scallion, other?

Whichever onion you choose to use, chop it up really well and set aside.

When I use to work outside of the home, I would always deny myself the true amount of onions and garlic I wanted on my lunch food. I love both, but was always worried about offending someone with the odor. These days, I only have to worry about offending Darling D or my children. Fortunately, nobody cares so, I pile it on (my serving) whenever I get a chance.

You can tell how easily the skin is pulling off that I smacked this piece of garlic really well.

When I first started cutting sweet potatoes to use in this recipe, I was a bit leery about how they were going to make it taste. Despite this, I continued dicing. My only suggestion is that you cut the potatoes into smaller chunks, especially if you have little people, so that they have less of a dominating and instead a more blended affect when served.

Once the oil is heated, add the onions…

the garlic, and saute for about 4 minutes.

Once the onions and garlic have cooked, everything added next is pretty much a toss-in starting with the tomatoes.

I know I suggested cutting the sweet potatoes a little smaller, but they are truly the essence of this chili. The sweet potato chunks are actually so good looking here as well as in the finish chili.

If deciding to use big chunks or little chunks puts you in a quandary, then my suggestion is to spend some quiet time or roll some dice or sleep on it if you must. All I ask is that you please make a decision, and fast, because it’s time to add the next ingredient.

Add the black beans.

The corn is next.

After that, I add the cumin. Before I started cooking, I didn’t know a cumin from well a cumin. Now, I use a lot of cumin in seed form as well as in the grounded form. I know the difference between the seed and ground

The chili powder is *hot* so, be cautious about how much you use. If sensitive tongues will be eating this, then you may want to use 1/2 of what the recipe calls for. That is only if you care. We’re tough in my house so, I go all the way.

Add the oregano…

the sea salt, and…

cocoa powder? Yep! It’s not too tasty here, but the flavor comes through in the chili.

Raise the temperature until it slightly bubbles. Reduce the heat, cover the pot, and cook the chili for about 45 minutes.

The sweet potatoes should be soft and easily pierced with a fork or your teeth. That means it is ready to eat.

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil 1 medium onion, chopped 3 garlic cloves. minced 2 teaspoons sea salt 2 small or medium sweet potatoes, cut into 1/2″ cubes 1 28oz. can tomatoes

2 cans black beans, drained 1 cup frozen corn 2 tsp. cumin 1 tablespoon chili powder 1 tsp. cocoa powder 1/2 tsp. oregano

How You Do It
1. Chop onions.
2. Heat oil in cooking pot.
3. Mince garlic.
4. Saute onion and garlic for about 4 minutes.
5. Cube sweet potatoes.
6. Add tomatoes.
7. Add sweet potatoes.
8. Drain black beans and add to the pot.
9. Add corn.
10. Add cumin.
11. Add chili powder.
12. Add oregano.
13. Add seat salt.
14. Add cocoa powder.
15. Cook chili for about 45 minutes on medium heat.

This chili has already become a staple on our table. I use to make another more “beany” chili, but the simplicity, flavor, and yummieness (Is that even a word?) of this chili caused me to retire that recipe. It will probably never be shared here. I can’t even find that old recipe.

Sweet potatoes have moved from the side of my plate to the center.