This Sweet Potato Apple Turkey Chili Recipe comes from the My Sweet Basil Kitchen Cookbook. When I saw all of the veggies on the ingredient list for this recipe I knew I had to try it. I was so intrigued by the addition of apples, warm spices and the pureed sweet potatoes, that I could hardly wait to give it a test.
When a good friend puts out a cookbook I want to rejoice with them in every way. I know how much heart and soul goes into making a cookbook. Time, tears, late nights, tons of editing, tons of photography. So much work you guys! So I applaud my friends Carrion, her husband Cade, and their whole sweet little family of 5, for pressing on until the end and pouring their hearts into this project! I loved getting the book in the mail and seeing so much of their personality on every page!
What I loved about the Oh Sweet Basil Cookbook:
I loved the family recipes. I don’t always cook in a way that’s attractive to families or young kids but this cookbook is so family friendly and I knew my husband and kids would enjoy so many of these recipes. When I looked at the recipes it was like I could see the little fingerprints of her young girls on the pages.
I also enjoyed reading the intro and learning more about Carrian and Cade’s differences in their food backgrounds. With one coming from fresh food ideals and the other with a passion for more southern soul food, they came together in perfect compromise to create new foods that would appeal to both cravings in the best possibly way. This fresh comfort food is what is shared in the cookbook as well as on their blog. If you’re starting to implement more healthy, fresh foods into your diet, I think this kind of food is the perfect way to transition into that.
About this Recipe:
This Sweet Potato Apple Chili showcases a perfect example of this type of match-up food. Fresh and yet familiar, healthy yet comforting. Honestly, I made the recipe out of curiosity… apples in a chili?! And no beans? How would this taste?! And I loved how they pureed the sweet potato to make a more rich and thick broth in the chili verses adding flour or another thickener. It was brilliant in so many ways!
When I made the recipe, I doubled it right off the bat. I used 1.25 lbs of ground turkey and doubled everything else. For a thicker chili you may want to add less broth. And if you’re wanting to add beans, I think a white bean would be a perfect addition. Also, I skipped the milk for a dairy free chili. And I didn’t have pumpkin pie spice in my cupboard so I used a combo of cinnamon, allspice, nutmeg, cloves, and ginger.
My family loved this fresh and slightly sweet take on chili and we’ll be working our way through many of the recipes in our new book! Congratulations Carrian and Cade!
Sweet Potato Apple Chili Recipe from My Oh Sweet Basil Cookbook
Ingredients
- 1 large sweet potato, baked then peeled (about 400 for 45 minutes)
- 3 cups Chicken or Vegetable Broth
- 1 tablespoon olive oil or butter
- 1 large carrot, chopped
- 1 zucchini, chopped
- ½ red bell pepper, chopped
- ½ yellow bell pepper, chopped
- ½ pound lean ground turkey
- 1 large apple, peeled and chopped (I used granny smith)
- 1 cup milk
- ¼ teaspoon pumpkin pie spice*
- salt to taste
Instructions
- In a blender, combine the broth and sweet potato. Puree until smooth. Set aside.
- Heat a large pot over medium heat and add in the oil. Add the carrots, peppers, and zucchini and saute until tender, about 5 minutes. Add the ground turkey and apple and cook until turkey is cooked through, about 5-8 more minutes.
- Once everything is cooked and tender, add the sweet potato puree and milk (if using) to the pot, stirring gently to lift any browned bits from the bottom. Add the spices and turn down to simmer. You can simmer for about 30 minutes then serve.