Sweet Potato Turkey Chili;

I have a real soft spot for chili this time of year. Something about the heat, spice and savory flavors in the cold weather is just so satisfying, and it helps that chili can be made with a hearty mixture of vegetables, beans, and lean protein. Even better, it’s easy to throw together a chili in a slow cooker early in the day, and a few hours later (say after a long ride), you have a delicious and nutritious warm meal just waiting. It’s also a great option for meal prepping, as it’s easy to make on a weekend day and enjoy that day and throw three or four servings into containers for lunches all week.

There’s one wrinkle with chili to me. Most recipes don’t take advantage of the opportunity to include healthy vegetables and beans, which to me makes a more interesting and nutritious meal. Panera Bread makes a fantastic turkey chili, and I’ve been tinkering with a home-made version for a few months. Turkey is a great option for chili because it’s leaner and cheaper than ground beef, and it’s milder flavor allows for the flavor of vegetables included in the chili to peak through.

Ground Turkey, 16oz
Sweet Potato, 2 Large (or 3 medium)
Sweet Onion, 1 medium
Carrots, Sliced, 2 Cups (Frozen is fine)
Corn, Whole Kernel, 16oz (Frozen is fine)
Peas, 8oz (Frozen is fine) 
Chili Beans, 1 can
Red Kidney Beans, 1 can (garbanzo is good too)
Diced Canned Tomato, 28oz

Chili Spice
2 Cloves minced garlic
2 tablespoon chili powder
1 tablespoon cayenne pepper
1 tablespoon red pepper
2 teaspoons salt/Accent
1 teaspoon ground black pepper

1. Prep:
Dice Onion
Dice Sweet potato (1/2 inch cubes)
Mix all spices except minced garlic
2. Cook Turkey:
Splash of oil in frying pan, with onions and garlic. Cook until onions are translucent
Brown turkey with the onions
Sprinkle spice over turkey once it is browned and turn over to mix
3. Put all ingredients in slow cooker or on the stove. In my experience, the stove takes a minimum of one hour simmering to cook through, and the slow cooker takes 3 hours. More time cooking leads to more blended flavor, a plus for chili.   

Makes 6 servings, approximately 16 oz per serving. 

As Austin noted, we’re always looking for ways to improve our diet and meal prepping. I’ve been thrilled with this chili, and although I don’t think it will be winning any chili-cons any time soon, it’s remarkably nutritious and a great food for endurance athletes. Let us know what you think of the chili recipe above in the comments!