The new year is less than 2 weeks old and if you’re a football fan, you’re
in heaven.
Why?
We’ll find out who the best team is in college football and then a few weeks
from now, we”ll find out who the top pro football team is (the Superbowl).
And if you enjoy watching football and eating, then you’ll probably want to try
the following chili recipe.

That’s right, chili is right up there with pizza and hotdogs as the most popular
foods served at sporting events and if you’re eating less or no meat this
January, then you’ll really want to look at and copy this recipe.

The meat in this chili recipe is replaced by sweet potatoes and it’s just
as flavorful and tasty as one that’s loaded with meat.
Plus, researchers say that cutting down on meat and eating more potatoes
(white and sweet) will benefit your health in a couple of ways.

The benefits:
Swapping potatoes for 40% of the meat in your diet will lead to better
blood sugar and faster weight loss.
Why, you ask?
Potatoes that are cooked, refrigerated and eaten the next day contain
something called “resistant starch,” which is a compound that helps
lower blood sugar and insulin levels by up to 55%. And as insulin
levels come down, it unlocks fat, allowing it to burn off more readily.
And one more benefit:
Eating potatoes and less meat will help you feel fuller faster, which
results in eating less. Researchers say that potatoes contain proteinase
inhibitors and other nutrients that dramatically slow digestion, keeping you
full 7 times longer than most food and even 3 times longer than a steak
or juicy burger.
And lastly:
When blood sugar is steady, cravings aren’t triggered.
Word of caution:
Chips or fries that are commercially prepared and labeled “healthy”
may contain additives, so avoid them. Buy potatoes and make
your own “healthy” versions.

Now that you’re aware of the benefits of eating potatoes and less meat,
it’s time for the recipe.

The recipe for Sweet Potato Chili-
A flavorful and simple dish to make.
Ingredients:
2 lbs. of sweet potatoes, peeled and diced
28 oz. of beans, (navy, kidney or black beans)
buy dry beans (make sure to soak for a few hours or overnight)
or buy canned beans and rinse a few times
1 onion, diced
4 tsp. of minced garlic
3 Tbs. chili powder
1 tsp. of cocoa powder
28 oz. of canned tomatoes (regular or fire-roasted)
To make:
You can make the sweet potatoes early in the day or the day before
and refrigerate (to make them resistant starched).
Peel the potatoes and set aside. In a large pot, heat up a 1/4 cup of water
and saute the diced onion until softened. Add garlic, chili powder, cocoa powder,
tomatoes, beans. Add 1 cup of water. Simmer on medium-low heat for 30 mins.
Add sweet potatoes. Enough for 4 to 6 servings.
Serve with a salad and/or crusty bread.

Sources:
* Candida Rebello, Ph.D
* Chef A.J. Plant-based youtube host
* Pennington Biomedical Research Center
* Woman’s World Jan. 15, 2024 Issue

Please make sure to pass this article and recipe on to friends
and family who love chili or to those who want to cut down on meat.
You can share it on Facebook, Snapchat, Instagram (stories), Reddit,
Pinterest, Tik-Tok and X (Twitter).

Thank-You!