This plant based chili is always a crowd pleaser! It’s simple, easy and filling. (It also cooks in one pot, for easy clean up). It uses quinoa as a base instead of rice, which keeps the chili hearty even though it doesn’t have any ground meat.
From a health standpoint, the high potassium and high fiber work together to provide a variety of benefits. This includes helping to lower blood pressure and keeping your gut microbiome healthy. For people with chronic kidney disease, high potassium can be a problem so there are some recommendations below at the end of the recipe which allows you to adjust it to your specific dietary needs.
Dr. Blake’s Top Tip: Serve in bread bowls with a buffet of toppings. That’ll let each person create their own individual flavor profile.
1 tbsp olive oil
1 onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves, peeled and crushed
1 tbsp chili powder
1 tsp smoked paprika
1 tbsp cumin powder
2 medium sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into half inch cubes
1 15oz can low sodium petite diced tomatoes
1/3 cup dried quinoa
2 cups water
1/2 tsp salt
1 15oz can low sodium dark red kidney beans
1 tbsp dried oregano
Toppings:
1 avocado
1 lime
1 small bunch of coriander
Heat a saucepan over medium-high heat. Pour in the olive oil, add the onion and cook until the onion starts to soften, about 5 minutes. Add the crushed the garlic, cook for 1 minute and then add the chili powder, cumin and smoked paprika. Saute for 2 minutes. Add the sweet potato cubes and cook for 3 minutes.
Add the tomatoes, water and quinoa and salt, and bring to a simmer. Lower the heat, cover and cook for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Drain and rinse the red beans and add them to the chili along with the dried oregano. Mix and continue cooking, covered, for 10 minutes.
Serve with a squeeze of lime juice, avocado cubes, and fresh cilantro.
Potassium sources:
192 mg K+ 1 15oz can low sodium dark red kidney beans
181 mg K+ 2 medium sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into half inch cubes
132 mg K+ 1 15oz can low sodium petite diced tomatoes
115 mg K+ 1 avocado
53 mg K+ 1/3 cup dried quinoa
194mg Na 1/2 tsp salt
Find it online: https://www.thecookingdoc.co/recipes/vegan-sweet-potato-chili/