If you haven’t noticed, it’s that time of year again. Super Bowl time that is—an annual tribute to America’s favorite sport and love of junk food. That’s where my recipe for Cocoa Black Bean Chili comes in.
Unfortunately, most Super Bowl party-goers are going to be greeted by tables crammed-packed with highly processed foods that tantalize our taste buds and have been relentlessly marketed to us. What’s the biggest myth about these foods? The only way to get great-tasting food is from a box or bag!
In fact, some processed food manufacturers have gone so far as to say real food tastes bad. You and I know that’s simply untrue, and my recipe for Cocoa Black Bean Chili with Roasted Sweet Potatoes is proof positive that healthy food is delicious food!
Although this chili recipe is vegan, you don’t need to go shouting that from your rooftop—unless all your guests are vegan. 🙂 Made with black beans, corn, tomatoes, bell peppers, and onions and seasoned with garlic, cocoa (yes, cocoa!), smoked paprika, and chili powder, you’re going to love this dish. Truly this black bean chili recipe is so good, even your most diehard meat lovers will be converts! Not only is it hearty, but it’s also got a delicious mix of sweet and savory tastes that will have them coming back for more.
Garnished with roasted sweet potatoes, avocados, green onions, and cilantro, this black bean chili also looks AMAZING! And if you want, for your non-vegan friends feel free to set out some sour cream and shredded cheese—but honestly it doesn’t need it. 🙂
While I’m not vegan, I do love eating healthy, and I believe eating real, unprocessed foods leads to a much healthier, happier life. That’s why I’ve spent the past five years blogging about what’s in many highly processed foods, how processed food companies deceive us, written a thriller about the processed foods industry called FAT PROFIT$, and share recipes that prove REAL food is DELICIOUS food. Yes, real food does take a little longer to make, but it sure is worth it!
My Recipe for Cocoa Black Bean Chili
So if you’re on board with eating healthier, delicious food, get out your chopping board, knife, and a big pot and cook up a batch of this amazing Cocoa Black Bean Chili. I promise … you’ll be making this super recipe again and again!
Cheers!
Bruce
Cocoa Black Bean Chili with Roasted Sweet Potatoes
- Total Time: 55 minutes
- Yield: 6 -8 servings 1x
Ingredients
Black Bean Chili:
- 3 tablespoons coconut oil
- 1 medium onion (chopped)
- 1 large red or orange bell pepper (chopped)
- 1 tablespoon minced garlic
- 2–3 tablespoons cocoa powder
- 1 1/2–2 teaspoons chili powder
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
- 3 15- ounce cans of black beans
- 1 15- ounce can of roasted (diced tomatoes)
- 3 cups vegetable broth (or the broth of your choice)
- 2 cups corn (fresh or frozen)
- 3 tablespoons maple syrup or coconut sugar (optional)
- sea salt and pepper to taste
Roasted Sweet Potatoes:
- 4 medium sweet potatoes (washed but not peeled, diced into cubes)
- 1–2 tablespoons coconut oil (melted)
- salt and pepper to taste
Optional Garnish:
- diced avocados
- diced onions
- diced green onions
- chopped cilantro
Instructions
Roasted Sweet Potatoes:
- Pre-heat oven to 425 degrees F. Toss cubed sweet potatoes with melted coconut oil. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Bake on rimmed baking tray turning every 15 minutes for about 30-40 minutes (or until browned). Remove from oven.
Black Bean Chili:
- While sweet potatoes are roasting, melt 3 tablespoons of coconut oil in large saucepan or dutch oven over medium heat. Add onions and cook until translucent. Add chopped peppers and garlic and cook for another 5 minutes. Season with cocoa powder, chili powder, smoked paprika, and sea salt. Stir thoroughly.
- Add in black beans, diced tomatoes, broth, and corn. Bring to a boil. Turn down and simmer for about 8-10 minutes. Add optional maple syrup/coconut sugar and season to taste with sea salt and pepper.
- Serve warm with roasted sweet potatoes and other optional garnish.
Notes
We recommend organic ingredients whenever possible.
If you’re not vegan, cheese or sour cream make excellent garnishes for this black bean chili recipe as well.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 40 minutes
- Category: and Broths, Chilis, Soups
This post is sponsored by Wilderness Family Naturals, a provider of some of the highest quality organic products you can find anywhere! For this recipe I used their organic coconut oil, cocoa powder, coconut sugar, and sea salt.
Kitchen Tips & Resources for My Black Bean Chili:
- A great kitchen ladle is a must for any soup or chili recipe. I recently realized the ladle I had been using was old and plastic … which got me wondering what sort of plastic it was made of and then thinking there might be BPA in it. So I decided it was time to replace the old one with something that I didn’t have to worry about, like this stainless steel ladle from ChefLand.
- A great garlic press makes child’s play of mincing garlic. I love this top-rated one but there are lots of great alternatives out there at all sorts of kitchen, department, and discount stores.
- Looking for a solid set of pans that doesn’t cost a fortune? I’ve been making chili in these Cuisinart pans for 20+ years, and they still look great!
- A high quality set of cutting knives can make a huge difference, especially when you’re cooking REAL food. My local knife shop advised me to invest in the higher quality Zwilling J.A. Henckels Twin Signature brand (much higher quality than the J.A. Henckels International brand) and time has proven them right. (To make sure you know which Henckels knives are better, here’s a tip — look for the “twins” on the knives vs. the single guy sporting the trident.) While you can buy these knives online, if you’ve got a local knife/cutlery store, support them instead. I love my local cutlery store and bring my knives in every six months or so to get them maintained with a nice, sharp edge!
- A great, non-slip cutting board is an invaluable kitchen asset when cutting up the vegetables. I upgraded to these Epicurean non-slip boards a year or so ago, and I’ve been really pleased with them.
