Quinoa & Sweet Potato Chili

I came across this Vegan Quinoa & Sweet Potato Chili recipe on Pinterest and knew that I had to attempt to make it. I made a few modifications to add some extra protein and heat (I love spicy chili!) and I really liked how it turned out!  

Here's my version of the recipe...

Sweet Potato and Quinoa Chili (this made approximately 5-6 medium servings)

• 1 tablespoon olive oil 
• 1/2 an onion, chopped
• 3 cloves garlic, minced 
• 1 6oz. can of tomato paste
• 1 tablespoon chili powder (I really didn't measure it, but 1 TBSP sounds good)
• 1 tablespoon cumin (again, didn't measure!)
• 1 15oz. can of vegetable broth (you can use chicken or beef if you have it on hand)
• 1 15oz. can of kidney beans, rinsed (original recipe called for black beans, whatever you like!)
• 1/2 15oz can of diced tomatoes 
• 3/4 pound ground beef (I used extra lean 92/8
• 1 sweet potato, peeled and chopped into chunks
• 1 or 2 jalapeno or serrano peppers (depends on your level of spice)
• 3/4 cup uncooked quinoa (rinsed)
• Avocado for garnish

1. Heat the oil in a large heavy soup pot over medium low heat. Add onions, and cook until soft and they start to turn brown (about 10 minutes).
2. Add the garlic, and cook for about 2 minutes.
3. Add the tomato paste, chili powder, cumin, and oregano and cook for about 2 minutes, stirring constantly.
4. Add the beans, stock, sweet potatoes, ground beef, peppers and tomatos.
5. Cook for about 5 minutes, then add the quinoa.
6. Continue cooking for about 15 minutes – 30 minutes, stirring frequently, until quinoa and potatoes are cooked and the chili has thickened.  

I was originally going to make it with the same amount of ingredients as the inspiration recipe but then realized it was going to be WAY too much for just me. 

I ended up browning my meat and chopping my sweet potato in the morning. This made the cooking/assembly process a bit easier.  Of course, it gave me a few extra dishes to clean, but I cook like my daddy...messy but tasty!

 (Feel free to add spices to your meat. I added a little chili powder, cayenne pepper, salt and pepper)

Here's the size of my sweet potato chunks when I was finished chopping.  WORD OF ADVICE: Try to buy a long/skinny sweet potato, it was pretty easy to chop. A thick/fat one might be difficult to chop when raw.

These are the ingredients I actually used. I forgot the meat since it was already cooked when I took the second picture! And don't forget the olive oil and tomatos (like I almost did)!

Now I'm not a food photographer, but this is how it looked when it was almost finished. It thickened up very nicely and tasted GREAT!

I definitely had plenty of left overs too. I froze the big container, I'm hoping it still tastes the same later like regular chili.

Do you like to try new twists to your favorite recipes?  Have you tried any recipes from Pinterest that you love?  HAPPY FRIDAY!