Lately, I’ve been obsessed with sweet potatoes. And they go exceptionally well with black beans.

However, most of the black bean and sweet potato recipes I found relied on chipotle peppers (so 2010!) or smoked paprika! I wanted something different.

Also, I was cooking dinner for a good friend who gets heartburn eating spicy foods. So I wanted to create a milder chili that was still full of flavor. Cinnamon and cocoa powder did the trick! The cinnamon is WOW with the sweet potatoes and the cocoa powder adds depth to the black beans. (In case you’re wondering, NO the cocoa will not make the chili taste chocolate-y.) The resulting chili is very cozy and comforting.

Ingredients for Cozy Black Bean and Sweet Potato Chili

(Serves 4-6, depending on serving size. Leftovers freeze well.)

• 2 14 oz. cans Black Beans, rinsed and drained
• 2 Medium Sweet Potatoes
• 1 Tablespoon Olive Oil
• 2  14-ounce cans Tomatoes; I like to use one can diced and one can of Rotel
• 1 medium to large Yellow Onion, diced
• 3 cloves Garlic, minced or pressed
• 1 medium Bell Pepper, any color, diced
• 1 Serrano Pepper, diced (Optional)
• 1 Tablespoon Chili Powder
• 1/2 teaspoon Oregano
• 1 teaspoon Cumin
• 1/2 – 1 teaspoon Cinnamon
• 1/4 – 1 teaspoon Cocoa Powder
• 1/2 – 1 teaspoon Sugar
• 1 1/2 Cups Water
• 1/2 teaspoon Salt* (see notes)

Directions for Cozy Sweet Potato and Black Bean Chili

Scrub your sweet potatoes and microwave until they’re half done (about 2 minutes in my microwave). Peel off the skin and cut into cubes.

In a large soup pot, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the onion and cook for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the garlic, bell pepper, and Serrano pepper, if using. Cook for approximately 2 minutes.

Add the spices – chili powder, oregano, cumin, and cinnamon. Stir only until the spices are evenly mixed with the onion mixture.

Quickly, add the tomatoes, sweet potatoes, black beans, and water. Stir. Bring to a boil.

Add the sugar, salt*, and cocoa powder. Stir.

Reduce heat and simmer covered for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Taste; see if it needs more salt, sugar, cinnamon, or cocoa. (Warning: A little cocoa powder goes a long way!)

Simmer uncovered another 15 minutes or so, or until potatoes are soft. Keep stirring every 5 minutes or so. Add more water if the chili needs more liquid.

Test to make sure the potatoes are done.

Spoon into bowls and eat!

Notes:

Canned black beans already have a lot of sodium (unless you buy the low or no sodium ones). If you’re using regular canned black beans, skip the salt when you’re adding your sugar and cocoa powder. When it’s time to taste the chili, you can add salt then.

To peel or not to peel? I prefer peeled, but since sweet potatoes are on the Clean 15 list, you can leave the peel on if you like!

If you used a can of Rotel tomatoes, you may not need the serrano pepper.

Sugar may sound like a strange thing to add to chili. It cuts the acidity of the tomatoes as well as helping to bring out the cinnamon, sweet potatoes, and cocoa powder.