I have recently been seeing some super delicious-looking chili dishes on my Instagram feed, and of course the cravings then hit quickly thereafter. Enter this comforting, easy to prepare Chickpea and Sweet Potato Chili Bowl.
We are always up for trying something new, and with the extra sweet potatoes and chickpeas in our pantry just waiting to be eaten, this dish seemed like it was meant to be.
WHY I LOVE THIS DISH
This dish is mildly spicy to allow for those less adventurous palates (i.e., my kids), so feel free to top with sriracha (I know I did!). We served this with white rice, and it would be equally delicious with brown rice and other vegetables. Also, you can top with avocado if desired. Let’s be honest, who doesn’t desire to top things with avocado? =)
Another great part about this dish is that it’s loaded with colorful, nutritious ingredients that are filling and satisfying. The healthy carbohydrates / fats / proteins are always welcome in our meals. Thankfully, beans are becoming more of a favorite in our house, along with the long-time favorites: quinoa, sweet potatoes, and rice.
SOME NOTES ON THE PROCESS
This dish is also a great meal prep for the week, for work or school lunches. The quinoa, beans and potatoes are hearty ingredients that will hold up for several days in the refrigerator.
These beautiful, colorful peppers were also a favorite with the kids to snack on, while the main dish was cooking. The kids each chose the color that they wanted to eat, and they sat crunching and munching away, while the yummy smells of chili wafted through the kitchen.
Chickpea and Sweet Potato Chili Bowl (Vegan)
INGREDIENTS (makes 3-4 servings):
- 3/4 cups uncooked quinoa
- 2 medium sweet potatoes, diced into 1 cm chunks
- 3 T olive or coconut oil
- 2 small or 1 large red or white onion, diced
- 3-4 minced garlic cloves
- 1 red bell pepper, diced
- 1 (16 oz.) can chickpeas
- 3 diced plum tomatoes
- 2 teaspoons garlic powder
- 1 T chili powder
- 1 T oregano
- 2 teaspoons cumin
- salt and pepper
- chives or green onion to garnish (optional)
- chopped cilantro (optional)
DIRECTIONS:
- Cook quinoa according to package directions. Set aside.
- While quinoa is cooking, bring water to boil in a medium saucepan and dice your sweet potatoes in the meantime. Once water is boiling, add sweet potatoes. Cook approx 5-7 minutes until not nearly tender (not fully cooked through, but almost).
- Meanwhile, dice the onion and red bell pepper, and mince the garlic. Add olive oil to large pan and over medium heat, cook onion and red bell pepper about 7-10 minutes until onion is translucent. Add garlic and cook 2 minutes longer, careful not to burn the garlic. Add small amount of water to the pan during this process if getting too dry.
- Add garlic powder, chili powder, oregano, 2 teaspoons of salt and 2 teaspoons of pepper, and cumin. Cook for additional 3 minutes.
- Add sweet potatoes and chickpeas to the saucepan. Gently stir to combine. Add small amount of water to the pan if getting too dry. Let cook for about 5 minutes on medium-low heat, covered.
- Separately, add the diced tomatoes to the quinoa, and gently stir together to combine.
- Gently mix the diced tomato / quinoa mixture into the pan with the other ingredients. Taste for seasoning and add salt/pepper if desired.
- Spoon into a serving dish and sprinkle with chives, scallion, or cilantro.
Looks delicious.
Thank you so much, Cathryn! Hope you try it. Have a beautiful weekend!