vegetarian chili - not just for the vegetarians anymore



Vegetarian Chili with Sweet Potatoes

(Altered slightly from Real Simple October 2010)

Makes 4 servings

I'm not a vegetarian, and I love chili with lots of different kinds of meat in it.  But this chili - not only vegetarian, but vegan! - satisfies me like no other vegetarian chili I've ever had.  Granted, I don't seek it out, so my experience is more limited than that of, say, a vegetarian chili-lover.  Raphael seems happy yet mildly ambivalent about it ("it's really good"), but I love it, and it's really easy.  It basically involves you, a knife, and a pot.  If you were feeling frisky, you could saute the vegetables in some olive oil before dumping everything in the pot, but I've never actually done this.  It might bring it from "it's really good" to "it's frickin' spectacular, honey!".  But who knows.  It might not be worth the risk.  You could also add carrots.  For some reason, every time I make this, I consider adding carrots and then don't. 

1 medium red onion, chopped
1 green bell pepper, chopped
1 red bell pepper, chopped
4-6 garlic cloves, minced
1 tablespoon chili powder
1 tablespoon ground cumin
2 teaspoons unsweetened cocoa powder
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
1 28-oz can fire-roasted diced tomatoes with garlic
1 15.5-oz can black beans, rinsed
1 15.5-oz can kidney beans, rinsed
1 medium sweet potato (about 8 oz), not peeled, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
Optional garnishes: sour cream or plain yogurt, sliced scallions,sliced radishes, tortilla chips, coarsely choped cilantro

Combine first ten ingredients in a large pot.  Add tomatoes and their liquid, beans, sweet potato, and 1 cup of water.  Cover and bring to a boil.  Reduce heat to low and cook for about 1 to 1 1/2 hours until everything is soft and delicious.