Sweet potato, kale and turkey create this rather quick and hearty meal. Typically when we think of chili we think of one protein- beef! Here I decided to sub turkey for the beef. Hey, it However, it’s the sweet potatoes that make up the majority of the meal wherein kale was added at the end. Luckily we were able to use some fresh kale right outta the garden in our backyard! Next time I try this recipe we’re gonna throw in some crimini or oyster mushrooms. Speaking of mushrooms lately we have been getting multiple different varieties from our local farmer’s market. Did you know mushrooms are one of the few foods that have naturally occurring vitamin D?

In staying “in-line” with the “Paleo Diet” principles, there are zero beans in this chili. The sweet potatoes do a tremendous job in providing the fiber, starch and antioxidants that beans provide. They just lack the protein component when compared to beans but that’s why you’re throwing in the ground turkey!

You can certainly double this recipe, make it on a Sunday and have plenty of goodness for the week.

What You Shall Need:

1 lb turkey, ground

1/2 cup sweet onion , finely chopped

3 carrots, peeled and chopped

1 red pepper, chopped

4 cloves garlic, minced

2 sweet potatoes, peeled and cubed

1 can diced tomatoes ( 14.5 ounces)

1 cup chicken broth

1/2 tsp cumin

1/2 tsp chili powder

1/4 tsp paprika

1/2 tbsp oregano

2 cups kale, chopped

Sale and ground pepper, to taste

Fresh cilantro, garnish

Sliced avocado, garnish

What You Shall Do:

1. In a large pan, brown the turkey over medium- high heat in some olive oil. Season with salt and ground pepper. Add the onion, pepper and carrots to the pan and cook for another 3-4 more minutes, stirring. Next add the garlic and continue to cook another 1 or 2 minutes or until garlic becomes fragrant. Be very careful not to brown the garlic!
2. Add the sweet potatoes, tomatoes,  chicken broth, cumin, chili powder, and paprika and oregano to the pan and mix very well. Bring to a simmer and cover. Turn heat to low. Cook another 40 minutes or so until the potatoes are soft. Stir a few times throughout.  Adjust salt and ground pepper to taste. Stir in the kale and cooked until wilted, about 3-4 minutes. Serve warm, garnish with fresh cilantro or sliced avocado.

Please note, whenever possible I try to use fresh spices and/or fresh tomatoes or chicken broth. In this dish, we used oregano from our herb garden, fresh tomatoes and left over chicken stock           from a dish we made last week.