Jan Norris: Food and Florida

Ok, if you don’t make anything else, make chili for Superbowl. It feeds a crowd and everybody loves it. Do a search on my site for more chili recipes and a cornbread recipe, to go along with them.

Make it healthy: This is a Southwest Sweet Potato Quinoa chili from The New Healthy blog (the-new-healthy.com) It’s vegetarian, too.

Read on to get the recipe and ideas for serving.

Healthy Southwest Sweet Potato Quinoa Chili

* 1 large sweet potato (peeled and chopped)

* 1 can black beans (rinsed & drained)

* 1 can kidney beans (rinsed & drained)

* 1 bag frozen Southwest inspired black beans and corn (see below)

* 1 can fire-roasted tomatoes

* 2 tablespoons green chiles (canned is OK)

* 1/2 cup raw quinoa

* 1 cup water

* 1 cup coconut milk

* 2 cups low-sodium V-8 juice

* 1/8 cup chili powder

* 1 teaspoon garlic powder

* stevia (natural sweetener) to taste

* 1/2 tablespoon maple syrup

* 1 teaspoon cayenne

* 1 tablespoon cumin

* salt and pepper, to taste

Put all ingredients in a big crockpot, cook on high for 4 or 5 hours.

(Recipe generously shared by Stephanie at her blog, the-new-healthy.com)

Serving ideas: Serve over brown rice, soba noodles, or with natural corn chips.

Bake your own chips from corn tortillas by cutting tortillas with a pizza wheel into wedge shapes, brushing them with olive oil, sprinkling with your favorite spices and baking on a cookie sheet at 400 till crisp – 3 minutes or so. (Watch to prevent burning.)

Note: The author of the recipe suggests the Archer Farms Southwest Inspired Corn and Black Bean seasoned blend, found in the freezer section of Target.