Vegetarian Chili

Vegetarian Chili- this was really yummy and filling for only veggies. I'm not a big sweet potato fan, but they were really good in this. I used a bean mix containing black eyed peas, chick peas, red and white kidney beans, lima beans and northern beans. My DS who isn't a big chili fan devoured this (YAY!!). I used a home made chili mix, so I'll post that too.

Vegetarian Chili
Junquegirl

olive oil
1 yellow onion, diced
1-2 fat cloves of garlic, minced or put through a garlic press
3 cans of beans, rinsed; or equivalent cooked beans (I used pinto, kidney and black)
1 28 oz. can diced tomatoes & their juices
1-2 teaspoons homemade chili powder (I used Mark Bittman’s recipe for chili powder)
½ teaspoon oregano, if your spice mixture doesn’t have it already
1 small sweet potato, diced
salt to taste
[optional, but highly recommended, garnish is chopped fresh cilantro]

In a heavy-bottomed soup pot, sauté the onion in olive oil until it starts to turn translucent. Add the garlic and sauté another minute or so. Add beans, tomatoes, spices and sweet potato. Bring to a boil, then turn down the heat and simmer until sweet potatoes are tender. Scoop out up to a cup of beans and mash them with a fork in a bowl or plate. Return to the pot. Stir, taste, and add more chili powder if necessary. Add salt to taste. Serve over brown rice and/or with cornbread. [Options: add diced red bell peppers with the onion; add diced waxy potatoes with (or instead of) the sweet potatoes; add smoked paprika to taste at the end; reduce some balsamic vinegar in the onion and garlic before adding the beans, etc.; add corn kernels towards the end of cooking]