As you might have noticed on this blog, I am a big chilli fan. So far I’ve done a beef chilli, a quorn chilli and a quick beany chilli, so now comes…a sweet potato chilli. This easy chilli is packed full of vegetables and has turned out to be vegan – great if you are doing Veganuary or if you are trying to eat a bit more healthily in 2016.
I got the idea for this whilst watching Jamie Oliver’s recent programme on superfoods. He went to the island of Okinawa, in Japan, where the residents often live into their 90s and beyond, and discovered that one of the reasons behind their longevity is that they eat a lot of sweet potatoes. Sweet potatoes are apparently one of the healthiest vegetables on the planet: full of fibre, vitamins and antioxidants.
Well that got me thinking…I need to eat more sweet potatoes…what goes with sweet potatoes…? And that was it, I was off daydreaming about all the lovely things that could go with sweet potatoes. Consequently, I have no idea what happened in the rest of the programme (sorry Jamie), but I did enjoy the rest of the series and it has definitely inspired me to eat more superfoods. I’m hoping this recipe is a good start!!
Not only does this chilli contain the superduperfood that is sweet potato, it also contains chilli (obviously!), garlic, pinto beans and coriander – all pretty super foods too. Chilli is especially good being full of vitamins and minerals and apparently having all sorts of health benefits.
Avocados are also considered a superfood, being a great source of healthy fats, as well as having more potassium than a banana, apparently. So, to go with the sweet potato chilli, I have made a little avocado salad…I’m a big fan of avocados and I love the flavours of guacamole, but I often find the flavour of the avocado gets a little bit lost in amongst all the other flavours when everything is blended together, so I came up with the (not especially revolutionary) idea of putting all the flavours of guacamole together but not blitzing it to a puree. The result is lovely – all the flavours are there, but you can still taste the flavour of the avocado.
Finally, to stick with the superfood theme, I’ve served the sweet potato chilli and avocado salad with some wholesome brown rice, which I have to say, I actually prefer to white rice. More surprisingly so does my little boy, who always wolfs down his portion of brown rice and asks for more **polishes her mummy halo**.
Would it be wrong to suggest a wine match with this? They do say a small glass of red wine a day is supposed to be good for you…so (if you are doing Dry January, look away now), I suggest a Chilean Sauvignon Blanc would work nicely here or perhaps, and this is a bit leftfield, I think a gin and tonic works well with this type of food, but maybe that’s just me?
Sweet Potato Chilli with Brown Rice and Avocado Salad (Vegan)
Ingredients
Rice:
- 200 g brown rice
- 500 ml boiling water
- ½ teaspoon salt
Sweet Potato Chilli:
- 750 g sweet potato peeled and chopped into 1cm cubes
- Olive oil
- 1 onion sliced
- 2 cloves garlic crushed or chopped finely
- ½ teaspoon chilli flakes or to taste
- 2 teaspoons mild chilli powder
- 350 ml passata I use Cirio Passata Rustica
- Salt and pepper
- 1 tin pinto beans
- ½ lime plus extra for wedges to serve
- 1 tablespoon coriander plus extra for garnish
Avocado Salad:
- 1 Avocado chopped fairly small
- 10 cherry tomatoes chopped fairly small
- 1 spring onion finely sliced
- Juice of 1 lime
- Extra virgin olive oil
- Salt and pepper
- A few leaves of coriander
Instructions
Rice:
- Put the brown rice, boiling water and salt in a medium pan and bring back to the boil over a high heat. Turn the heat down low, put a lid on and cook for 20 minutes. Then turn off and leave for 5 minutes, by which time all the water should have been absorbed and the rice should be cooked, but should still have a bit of bite to it.
Sweet Potato Chilli:
- Put the cubes of sweet potato in a medium pan and cover with boiling water. Cook for 8 minutes on a medium heat, then drain.
- Drizzle a little olive oil in a wide, deep saucepan and add the onions. Cook on a low heat with the lid on for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the onions are softened but not brown. Add the garlic, chilli flakes and chilli powder and cook for one more minute, then add the drained sweet potato, passata, pinto beans and the juice of half a lime plus a little salt and pepper. Bring to the boil and then turn down low and cook uncovered for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- After 10 minutes add the chopped coriander and stir. Turn off the heat. Serve with lime wedges and scattered with some more coriander.
Avocado Salad:
- While the chilli is cooking, make the avocado salad. First put the avocado into a serving bowl, then add the tomatoes, spring onions and lime juice.
- Drizzle over the olive oil and sprinkle on some salt and pepper, then give it all a little stir.
- Garnish with a coriander and serve with the chilli and rice.
Charlotte Oates says
I prefer chunky guacamole too for exactly the same reason 🙂
I watched a program last year about how fabulous sweet potatoes are and vowed to eat more of them. There were villages in Africa where health had improved significantly simply from introducing a variety that would grow in their soil – it was quite amazing. Sadly I failed miserably (I love them but the boys complained that they preferred “yellow ones” so I ended up switching back). I’m trying to slowing introduce little heathy switches this year so I’m planning to try again.
Eb Gargano says
Sounds like a very interesting programme! Sorry to hear your boys don’t like sweet potatoes 🙁 Have you tried sweet potato chips? That might sway them 🙂 Fortunately my kids seem to love sweet potatoes, I think possibly because they were largely weaned on them!! Hope you manage to convince your boys 🙂 Eb x
Charlotte Oates says
It was the sweet potato chips that got the most complaints!
Eb Gargano says
No! Really? How about…have you tried doing mash with half sweet potato and half normal potato? Oooh, now I am imagining that on top of a shepherd’s pie, maybe with a bit of cheese on top…mmmm, another one to add to my growing list of things to try out!! 🙂
Kate - gluten free alchemist says
Now there’s a healthy plate! Yes please….. sounds lovely (I can see that halo glinting form here)!!
Eb Gargano says
Haha! I am polishing it as we speak 🙂 I love it when healthy food tastes this good 🙂 Thanks for your kind comments, Kate. Eb x
Corina says
I’m sure it was lovely! I actually made a sweet potato chilli yesterday in the slow cooker and it does make you feel healthy when you eat it. I would definitely eat more sweet potatoes if I could but unfortunately my husband doesn’t like them.
Eb Gargano says
Oh what a shame! How can anyone not like sweet potatoes? They are so delicious!!! Yes, I love it when delicious food is also healthy and good for you. I am determined to make more healthy (but still delicious!) food in 2016. Thanks for commenting, Corina. Eb x
Elizabeth C. says
I love sweet potatoes. This looks delicious!
Eb Gargano says
Thank you, Elizabeth. I love sweet potatoes too and now I’ve discovered how good for you they are I’m planning to eat them even more often! 🙂
Kirsty Hijacked By Twins says
I love a good chilli and enjoy experimenting with different ingredients. I have made a lentil chilli in the past (a now want to cook it again!) but have not tried it with sweet potato. I bet the sweet potato balances really well with the chilli. I think that this one is a must try! Thank you for sharing with #CookBlogShare x
Eb Gargano says
Thanks, Kirsty. Yes, the sweet potato works really well with the chilli – making the chilli not too hot (good when you have little people who don’t like things too spicy) and the sweet potato not to sweet (I sometimes find it a bit much if it’s not balanced by something more savoury). Let me know how you get on if you do try it 🙂 Eb x
Only Crumbs Remain / Angela says
This sounds so delicious Eb, with the added benefit of being really good for us – win win. I really enjoy sweet potatoes, and often pop them into home made soup , but I have to admit that I don’t often buy them – I think it’s just a bad habit of always buying white potatoes (both new and old). I shall aim to buy some in our shopping this week and look to replace the usual whites with some sweet ones.
Angela x
Eb Gargano says
Thanks, Angela! I totally agree, I do so love meals that are tasty AND healthy. I definitely plan to do more with sweet potatoes this year…after all it’s such an easy swap for white potatoes and they go so well with so many different things. I don’t think white potatoes are awful – they are still a vegetable after all – it’s just that sweet potatoes are even better for you!! Eb x
Midge says
Looks lovely & definitely going to have to try this – hubby & the Peachicks are massive fans of chilli but as much as hubby puts up with all the veggie alternatives chilli is the one he insists must have meat in! This might just persuade him otherwise as sweet potatoes are one of his favourite veggies! We use brown rice all the time as weirdly it is the only rice that doesn’t trigger the kids eczema!
Eb Gargano says
Thanks, Midge! I do love a meaty chilli, but I love this one just as much! The sweet potato works really well in it and goes so nicely with the avocado salad. Sorry to hear about your kids eczema…my kids have it too but much more mildly than yours…interesting that brown rice doesn’t trigger eczema but other rice does…I wonder why that is? Thanks for commenting and let me know how it goes, if you try it – I’d love to know what your husband thinks! Eb x
radhika kapoor says
Made this and finished it off with a dollop of Greek yogurt. Yum! Thanks for the recipe!
Eb Gargano says
Really glad you liked it! And thank you so much for letting me know! Means a lot to me to know my recipes are being made, eaten and enjoyed! 🙂 Eb x