I know this recipe is not Christmasy like most bloggers are posting these days, but it is a nice veggie-filled, warming meal that is perfect for the colder days to come (or which are upon some of you now).

And I know what you are thinking, “chili with no beans?”

Yes, it is. And it is delicious. 🙂

I’ve always made a point to put as much fruit and veggies into whatever I cook and/or bake. (Even if we are having pizza, I make sure that there are veggies or pineapple on it and a salad or raw veggies on the side.) This recipe is full of many different colored and flavored vegetables, from peppers and tomatoes to carrots and sweet potato.

I first thought of making this recipe in late summer when I really wanted chili, but I didn’t want beans. To be honest, I am not really a bean or legume fan, except for peanut butter (and red lentils in my soup). I find them hard for me to digest and leave me not feeling so good later on. So I decided to go ahead with a chili recipe, leaving out the beans, and served with garlic bread on the side.

Lately we enjoy eating smaller, less filling meals every few hours, rather than the kind that leave you unable to do much for hours after you eat. If you are a die-hard bean fan and can’t stand the notion of chili without beans, feel free to add a can or two (or a few cups of cooked beans)!

No Bean Veggie Chili

Serves 6

Ingredients

• 1 medium sweet potato, peeled and chopped
• 2 tablespoons sunflower oil
• 1 large onion, diced
• 4-5 cloves of garlic, crushed
• 5 carrots, shredded (1/2-2 cups)
• 5 ribs of celery, diced
• 3 large bell peppers of your choice, I like to use a variety of colors if I have, maybe red, yellow and green, since there is already orange from the carrot and sweet potato
• 1 1/2 cups organic vegetable broth
• 2 teaspoons chili powder
• 2 tablespoons molasses
• 1 (796 ml) can diced tomatoes, with juice

Directions

1. Bring a medium saucepan to of water to boil. Add the chopped sweet potato and boil for 12-15 minutes, until soft. Meanwhile, prepare the chili recipe.
2. In a large pot, heat the sunflower oil on medium heat and add the diced onion and pressed garlic and cook a few minutes, until fragrant. (I add a few tablespoons of water to the pot to help soften my veggies when I cook, if/when needed.)
3. Add the shredded carrot, diced celery and peppers. Cover and cook the vegetables until they are soft, about 15-18 minutes, stirring occasionally throughout the cooking time.
4. Once the sweet potatoes has softened, drain and then mash them, until free of any lumps and add them along with the other ingredients in the large pot.
5. Add the vegetable broth, chili powder, molasses, and diced tomatoes. (If you are adding beans, you would do so at this stage as well.)
6. Reduce heat and simmer 5-10 minutes more to bring all of the flavors together.
7. Serve with garlic bread or your favorite bread.

Enjoy! 🙂