It’s officially autumn, and that means it’s sweet potato season! I absolutely love sweet potatoes. They’ve been my favorite fall vegetable for as long as I can remember. They’re so versatile since they can be used in both sweet and savory dishes — from the iconic sweet potato casserole many of us were served during Thanksgiving to a savory sweet potato breakfast hash. More recently, I’ve loved using this stud of a vegetable to make sweet potato chili. With the cold weather upon us, it’s the perfect hearty recipe to warm you up on a chilly day (pun definitely intended).

Not only is chili super easy to make, but it’s also a great recipe to meal prep for a busy week. With the middle of the semester looming over our heads, many of us are feeling the pressure to do well on our midterms or get our copious amount of homework done. It’s important to nourish yourself properly during these stressful times, so give this quick and easy recipe a try. It’ll only take about 30-45 minutes out of your day — most of which you can spend studying waiting for the vegetables to cook — and you’ve got dinner prepared for the whole week!

Sweet potato chili (4-5 servings)

Ingredients:

• Olive oil
• ½ red onion chopped
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 2 tablespoons chili powder
• 1 tablespoon cumin
• 2 teaspoons paprika
• 1 teaspoon oregano
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
• 2 tablespoons tomato paste
• 1 large sweet potato peeled and cubed
• 2 cans fire-roasted tomatoes
• 1 cup vegetable broth (plus more as needed)
• 3 cans beans (I like doing 2 cans of black beans and 1 can of kidney beans)

Directions:

1. Heat olive oil in a pot on medium-high heat. Cook the onion for a few minutes until it’s soft and translucent. Add the spices and cook until fragrant. 
2. Add the tomato paste, stir and cook for about a minute. 
3. Add the sweet potatoes and cook for another minute. Make sure to stir well so the sweet potatoes are coated in the tomato paste and spice mixture.
4. Add the fire-roasted tomatoes and vegetable broth. Bring the pot to a boil, put the lid on and simmer for 15-20 minutes or until the sweet potatoes are fork tender. Add more broth as needed because the sweet potatoes will absorb some of the liquid as they cook.
5. Add the beans and cook for a few minutes until they are heated through. 
6. Serve hot or let it cool off before storing in meal prep containers.
7.  To store for meal prep: portion into containers and place in the fridge for 4-5 days or in the freezer for 3-4 months.

I’ve made my fair share of this yummy recipe, so here are my recommendations. The frozen rice from Trader Joe’s is a great side if you don’t have time to cook your own rice: just reheat it in the microwave alongside the chili to save on time. To make this a complete and filling meal, I also love to add Trader Joe’s chunky guacamole and a handful of tortilla chips. I hope you all enjoy!