Sweet Potato Vegetarian Chili

Along with Ina, Michael Smith is one of my favorite chefs. I used to always watch his show, Chef at Home (when I had a life), and I even got to meet him once!! He was at a Kingston, Ontario, farmer's market, and I was slightly star-struck.. His style of cooking is very much like mine: lots of lentils, greens, soups, and spices. I got his most recent cookbook, Chef Michael Smith's Kitchen, for Christmas, and it is full of crazy good recipes! After a tough decision regarding which recipe I would try first, this vegetarian chili did not disappoint. The chipotle chilies add TONS of flavor, and the sweet potatoes are a slightly unexpected addition to your average chili. I edited it a bit due to laziness and my cumin threshold, but you can find a version of the original recipe here. Enjoy!

• 1 onion, diced
• 1 green pepper, diced
• 6 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 tbsp chili powder
• 1 tbsp oregano
• 2 tsp cumin seeds
• 1 can kidney beans, rinsed and drained
• 1 can black beans, rinsed and drained
• 1 can diced tomatoes
• 2 cups frozen corn
• 1 sweet potato, peeled and 1 cm cubed
• 1 tablespoon chopped chipotle chilies in adobo sauce

Garnishes: Cilantro and sour cream

Heat some olive oil in a large soup pot, and add onion and green pepper. Saute veggies over medium heat until they begin to brown (about 7 minutes). Add garlic and spices, and cook for another 2 minutes. Add beans, tomatoes, corn, sweet potato, chilies, and 2 cups of water to the pot, and bring to a boil. Reduce heat, and simmer for 30 minutes or until desired thickness and potatoes are tender. Throw on some cilantro and sour cream. Voila!

Good beer.. Good knives.. Good food