Ingredients:

  • 2 large (approx. 1 lb / 450g) sweet potatoes, peeled and cubed into 1-inch pieces
  • 1 medium (approx. 5 oz / 140g) yellow onion, diced
  • 1 large (approx. 6 oz / 170g) red bell pepper, diced
  • 3 cloves (15g) garlic, minced
  • 1 lb (450g) lean ground beef
  • 1 can (15 oz / 425g) black beans, drained and rinsed
  • 1 can (15 oz / 425g) kidney beans, drained and rinsed
  • 1 can (28 oz / 794g) crushed tomatoes
  • 1 can (14.5 oz / 411g) diced tomatoes
  • 1 cup (240ml) low-sodium vegetable or beef broth
  • 2 tbsp (30ml) tomato paste
  • 2 tbsp (16g) chili powder
  • 1 tsp (2g) ground cumin
  • 1 tsp (2g) smoked paprika
  • 1/2 tsp (1g) salt
  • 1/4 tsp (1g) black pepper
  • 1 tbsp (12g) maple syrup
  • 1 tbsp cornstarch
  • 1 tsp lime juice or apple cider vinegar

Instructions:

  1. Peel and cube the sweet potatoes into consistent 1-inch chunks. Dice the yellow onion and red bell pepper, and mince the garlic cloves.
  2. Add the cubed sweet potatoes, diced onion, red bell pepper, minced garlic, drained black beans, and drained kidney beans to the slow cooker.
  3. Pour in the crushed tomatoes, diced tomatoes (with juices), broth, and tomato paste.
  4. Stir in the chili powder, ground cumin, smoked paprika, salt, black pepper, and maple syrup.
  5. Incorporate the ground beef; it can be added raw for a dump-and-go style or browned in a pan first for a firmer texture.
  6. Cover and cook on High for 4 hours or Low for 8 hours.
  7. In the final 30 minutes of cooking, optionally stir in a cornstarch slurry (1 tbsp cornstarch mixed with 1 tbsp cold water) to achieve a thicker, glossier consistency.
  8. Just before serving, stir in a small amount of lime juice or apple cider vinegar to brighten the flavor and balance the natural sweetness of the potatoes.