chili stuffed sweet potatoes

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chili stuffed sweet potatoes

hello from my little corner of minnesota where it’s currently ‘feels like -33’ outside. it’s on the one hand, not as bad as it sounds, and on the other (mittened) hand, i found myself gulping for air after a quick rendezvous out to the recycling bins and back a little bit ago. its the kind of cold that doesn’t feel all too terrible on your face, but makes your bones feel like they’ve crumpled in your chest. *i cannot overstate this enough, i love it here!!! i will be sad to leave this freezing slice of tundra! the coldness really makes the cozy times shine.

in more cozy times, i spent saturday evening with my parents and we had a magical time dunking crusty bread into swiss fondue, sipping decent-ish white wine, eating scotcheroo rice krispies, and watching megababe christopher plummer sing about his undying love for austria. very wholesome times all around, and i’d truly love to repeat weekends like that again and again.

in keeping with the cozy theme, i was daydreaming about chili and piping hot potatoes, and most importantly, staying toasty warm inside and out, so I thought i’d combine all 3 for a super easy, very delicious, low effort high reward dinner. chili stuffed sweet potatoes, friends!

i’m basically taking the idea of a chili dog and eliminating the hot dog (WEIRD that I don’t just have some on hand… ever) and serving up the smoky salty comfy chili into a baked sweet potato and topping everything with the cheese-cilantro-lime trifecta. it’s as magical as it looks, i assure you.

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a few things before we get started:
- you want the chili to be thick and chunky rather than soupy. the longer you let it simmer, the chunkier it will get. do with that what you will.
- you will have leftover chili vs. sweet potato ratio. personally, i was thrilled about this.
- chili stuffed sweet potatoes are very easily made vegan/vegetarian! skip the turkey and double the beans - maybe add mushrooms?
- this is truly a ridiculously easy recipe and i’m sending you a big hug before you dig in!

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chia stuffed sweet potatoes
makes: 4 servings (with leftover chili)
prep time: 5 minutes
cook time: 60 minutes

4 large sweet potatoes
1lb ground turkey
1 onion, diced
1 green bell pepper, small diced
4 garlic cloves, minced
2c beans, drained and rinsed (I used a mix of black and pinto)
15oz can of tomato sauce
1 1/2tbsp chili powder
1tbsp cumin
2tsp paprika
1tsp red chili flake
2tsp salt, plus more to taste
1tbsp olive oil

mexican cheese, cilantro, and limes for garnish, optional

preheat the oven to 425.
using a fork, prick holes in the sweet potatoes - this will help them cook evenly. line a baking sheet with foil, and bake the sweet potatoes for 50-60 minutes or until soft.

meanwhile, heat the olive oil on a large pot over medium high heat. add the onion and turkey, and saute for 6-8 minutes until the onions become translucent and the turkey is browned. then add the bell pepper, garlic, beans, and spices, and saute for another 5 minutes. then, add the beans and tomato sauce, lower the heat to medium, and simmer for 20-25 minutes. you want it to be thick as opposed to liquidy! adjust salt and seasonings as needed.

once the chili is finished, sliced the sweet potatoes down the center lengthwise. carefully pry each half apart, and spoon the chili into eat sweet potato. top with cheese, cilantro, and a squeeze of lime.