Sweet Potato Symphony Vegetarian Chili

The instant we heard that our church was planning a chili cook-off, my (Emily's) competitive juices and Tim's creative juices began to flow. We wanted to create a vegan chili that could stand on its own two feet without meat. A chili with sweet overtones and smoky, spicy undertones. A chili that people would remember and go back for seconds. All day long I worked on developing the chili of champions, and although we didn't win the cook-off, I think our chili recipe developed into something truly unique and flavorful. If you're a fan of colorful, warm, satisfying food full of nutritious vegetables, this chili is for you!

Ingredients:

• 4 medium sweet potatoes, peeled and cubed
• 3 1/2 Tbsp McCormick Perfect Pinch Southwest Sweet N Smoky Seasoning, divided
• 2 Tbsp olive oil, divided
• 2 1/4 tsp salt, divided
• 3 carrots, peeled and diced
• 1 green bell pepper, diced
• 1 onion, diced
• 4 pressed garlic cloves
• 1 can sweet kernel corn, drained
• 1 tsp oregano
• 2 Tbsp chili powder
• 2 tsp cumin
• 2 cans diced tomatoes with jalepeno peppers, undrained
• 1 tsp black pepper
• 2 tsp brown sugar
• 3 tsp unsweetened baking cocoa
• 1 tsp Jamaican jerk seasoning
• 2 cans dark red kidney beans, drained and rinsed
• 1 lb dried black beans, prepared* (or 2-3 cans black beans, rinsed and drained)
• 2 c canned tomato puree

Preheat oven to 400˚ F. Toss the sweet potato cubes with 1/4 tsp salt, 1 Tbsp McCormick Sweet N Smoky seasoning, and 1 Tbsp olive oil, then spread on a cookie sheet and roast for 25 minutes. This gives the sweet potatoes a tender yet meaty texture with crispy edges. When they are finished, remove from oven and allow to cool to room temperature.

Meanwhile, sautė the carrots, green pepper, onion, garlic, corn, chili powder, 2 1/2 Tbsp of McCormick Sweet N Smoky, cumin, and 1 Tbsp olive oil in a large saucepan or Dutch oven. Sautė until onions are translucent, then add the diced tomatoes with their juice and simmer. 

Add salt, pepper, brown sugar, baking cocoa, and Jamaican jerk seasoning. Continue to simmer 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Take 2 cups of the cooled, roasted sweet potatoes and puree them in a food processor. I used my dying Magic Bullet and it did a decent job but the smoother you can puree the potatoes, the better. Add this sweet potato puree and the 2 c. canned tomato puree to the chili, along with the black beans and kidney beans. Simmer for at least 15 minutes. 

You can continue to slow cook the chili for as long as you would like, but remember that the beans and sweet potatoes may get mushy if you cook for too long. Feel free to experiment with the amounts of spices and add more salt, pepper, and chili powder as needed. I was planning on adding ground cayenne pepper, but the chili turned out to have just the right level of heat for me. If you'd like a really spicy chili I'd recommend seasoning with ground cayenne pepper.

Have fun playing with this recipe and make it your own. Serve in a good soup bowl with hearty cornbread and a big spoon. 

*I typically prepare dry beans by rinsing and sorting them to pick out any sticks or pebbles, and then covering with an inch or so of water and bringing to a boil. I'll boil the beans for a few minutes, then remove from heat, cover, and let beans soak for at least 2 hours (preferably longer: overnight is best). After beans have soaked, drain the water, rinse them, and cover with fresh cool water. Bring to a boil again, and then simmer for 1 1/2-2 hours. Check for doneness by smashing a bean with the back of a spoon to see if they are tender inside. Drain and rinse beans again before adding to recipe.