Healthy Beef and Sweet Potato Chili

This recipe is both healthy and hearty, which are two things you don’t often see together. In an attempt to lighten up my normal chili recipe, I reduced the amount of ground beef and added sweet potato, and I ended up with something just as good as the original. The whole pot of chili is made with only 1/2 a pound of lean ground beef, but it still has the meaty taste and texture that many chili fans are fond of. I added roasted diced sweet potatoes to help the chili maintain it’s heartiness. Not only does this add a nutritional punch, but the sweet, tender potatoes are the perfect balance to the rich and spicy flavors in the chili. This meal is perfect for a chilly day and it’s comfort food that you don’t have to feel guilty about. Score!

For me, the best part of eating chili is the garnishes. Avocado and sour cream are my two favorites. I’ve listed others below, just remember that if you’re trying to eat light, they will add some extra fat/calories to your dish, so don’t go overboard. 😉 As always, feel free to make changes to this recipe to make it suit your tastes. The bell pepper can be omitted, the beef can be replaced with ground turkey, you can skip the beans, add other veggies, etc. Enjoy!

Healthy Beef and Sweet Potato Chili
Makes 5 generous servings

2 medium/large sweet potatoes, peeled and diced into 1/2 inch pieces
extra virgin olive oil
salt/pepper
1/2 pound lean ground beef
1 small onion, chopped
1 small bell pepper, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
3 teaspoons chili seasoning (I use Chili 3000 from Penzey’s Spices and I highly recommend it. If you don’t have a chili seasoning mix, you can make one. See recipe below)
1 – 15 oz can tomato puree or tomato sauce
1 heaping tablespoon tomato paste
1 1/2 cups low sodium beef broth
1 cup water
2 – 16 oz cans of kidney, black or pinto beans, drained and rinsed
3/4 cup frozen corn kernels
Optional garnishes: grated cheese, green onions, sour cream/greek yogurt, crushed up tortilla chips, avocado, cilantro

Chili seasoning:
2 teaspoons chili powder
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/4 teaspoon smoked paprika or ground chipotle
1/4 teaspoon dried oregano

Begin by roasting the sweet potatoes. Preheat oven to 400. On a baking sheet, toss diced sweet potatoes with a tablespoon of olive oil and a couple pinches of salt and pepper. Mix with your hands until the sweet potatoes are evenly coated. Place in the preheated oven and roast for 20-25 minutes, until cooked through, tossing with a spatula once or twice during the baking time. Once cooked, set aside.

Add the ground beef to a large pot over medium-high heat. Cook for about 5 minutes, breaking the meat into small pieces with a wooden spoon. If the meat appears dry, add a few drizzles of olive oil to the pot. Add the onion and bell pepper and cook 5 minutes more, stirring occasionally and adding another drizzle of olive oil, if necessary. Add the garlic, chili seasoning and a healthy pinch of salt. Stir to combine. Cook for one more minute, then add the tomato sauce, tomato paste, beef broth, water and beans, stirring to combine. Allow the mixture to simmer uncovered over medium heat for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally. After 20 minutes, stir in the corn and cooked sweet potatoes. Allow the mixture to simmer for another 5 minutes. Taste and adjust the seasonings accordingly. You can also add more water or beef broth if you want to thin it out a little.

Serve with the garnishes suggested above.

Slow Cooker French Dip Sandwich

Since we can’t live on sweets alone, here is a little something savory.
The NFL season kicks off today, which means it’s time for football food! I try to eat fairly healthy most of the time; “everything in moderation” blah blah blah … but, on game days I’m all about snack foods and meals that are slightly more indulgent. I may or may not use watching football as an excuse to lounge on the couch and stuff my face – please don’t judge.
To start things off right, here’s a perfect and easy french dip sandwich that’s made in the slow cooker. It’s tender beef and caramelized onions piled on a crusty roll, with melted cheese and a side of au jus. It’s simple and satisfying.
I’ll be on the couch if you need me. 😉

Slow Cooker French Dip Sandwich
Makes approximately 3 large sandwiches

1 1/2 pound beef chuck roast*
2 cups low sodium beef broth
1/4 cup worcestershire sauce
1-2 tablespoons olive oil
1 large onion, thinly sliced
3 cloves of garlic, chopped
1 bay leaf
3 large rolls (nothing too soft or it will fall apart once dipped)
Cheese (we used provolone but gruyere or swiss would be great too)

Liberally salt and pepper your roast.

In a glass measuring cup, combine the beef broth and worcestershire sauce and set aside.

In a cast iron skillet or dutch oven, heat oil on medium-high heat, add the meat and sear on all sides until each side has a nice brown crust formed. Transfer meat into your slow cooker.

Reduce the heat to medium and in the same pot, add the sliced onions and cook for 5 minutes, adding more oil if necessary. Add the chopped garlic and cook for an additional minute or two. Pour a couple tablespoons of the beef broth mixture into the pot with the onions and using a wooden spoon, scrape up all the browned bits from the bottom of the pan (this will give the beef lots of flavor). Transfer the onion mixture and all accumulated juices into the slow cooker and add in the remaining broth and the bay leaf.

Cook on high for 3 hours or low for 5 hours.

Once the meat is tender and cooked all the way through, remove it to a cutting board and thinly slice it or shred it with a fork and set aside. Place a fine mesh strainer over a large bowl and carefully pour the juices (this is your au jus)  from the slow cooker into the bowl. Set aside the solids that remain in the sieve (the cooked onions), discard the bay leaf.

Toast your rolls, pile with meat and some of the onions, drizzle with a little au jus to make the meat extra moist and cover with the cheese of your choice. If you want your cheese melty you can place it under the broiler for a couple seconds. Serve with the extra au jus on the side for dipping.

* The roast I used was fairly small (1 1/12 pounds). If you’re cooking a bigger, standard sized roast you will want to add an additional cup of beef broth, one additional onion and adjust the cooking time accordingly.