The other day I was surprised when one of my friends said she had recently been anxious.
It’s not that I have the exclusive rights to anxiety. Trust me, I don’t want them. It’s that she always seemed rather unflappable.
It made me realize that we all have anxiety about some things. They might all be different but one of the universal truths of human existence is that we are all scared of something. It might make our hearts race or keep us up at night or ruin our appetites. Like the things that cause our anxiety our reaction to it is equally as unique to us.
It provided me comfort, not because I want everyone to be anxious, even if misery does love company sometimes, but because it was reassuring that I am not alone. In this way I am not special. She could understand part, even a small part, of how I feel a lot of the time.
While it may seem like we are all so different, there are a few things here and there that connect us. Fear. Joy. Laughter. We all have our ups and downs, even if some of us hide the downs better than others. No one is immune.
When I need comfort, I turn to this Brisket Sweet Potato Chili. It is healthy, gluten free, and Whole30 approved, and supremely comforting with a warm spice that hits you just enough in the back of the throat.
The Whole30 made me fall madly in love with sweet potatoes and they add a creamy richness here with some vegetable help from kale, fennel, onion, peppers, and carrots.
Take comfort in the fact that we are not alone and this chili is here to save the day.
Brisket Sweet Potato Chili
- Total Time: 4 hours
- Yield: 6 servings 1x
Ingredients
- ¼ cup olive oil
- 3 pounds brisket, trimmed of fat and cut into 1 to 2 inch cubes
- 2 2 inch pieces brisket fat
- 2 large onions, diced, divided
- 2 jalapeno pepper, seeded and minced
- 2 small or 1 large poblano pepper, seeded and diced
- 1 tablespoon chili powder
- 1 tablespoon cumin
- 1 teaspoon coriander
- 1 teaspoon turmeric
- 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 32 ounces Whole30 approved stock (I used Imagine Organic low sodium)
- 16 ounces water
- 1 bulb fennel, sliced
- 2 large sweet potatoes, diced
- 1 bunch carrots, peeled and sliced
- 1 bunch kale, stems removed
Instructions
- Preheat a large stock pot over medium high heat. Once hot, add the oil. Add the brisket, fat, jalapeno and poblano peppers, and 1 onion. Cook for 3 minutes. Add the cumin, coriander, turmeric, pepper, and pepper flakes. Flip meat and cook for about 3 minutes more until browned.
- Add stock and water, bring to a boil, and reduce to a simmer. Place a lid on the pot and cook for about 2 hours, stirring occasionally, adding more water if needed.
- Add the remaining onion, fennel, potatoes, and carrots and cook for an additional hour with the lid on, stirring occasionally.
- Remove the lid and taste for seasoning. Add more spice, pepper, or some salt as suits your taste. Add the kale. Cook for an additional 20 minutes with the lid off to allow the liquid to reduce. Serve immediately. Chili may also be stored in the refrigerator in an airtight container for 3 days or frozen in an airtight container for up to 3 months. Reheat in the microwave or on the stovetop until piping hot.
Notes
Cooking time is not all active – just occasional stirring.
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 3 hours 30 minutes
Sweet potatoes are such comfort food! This looks perfect! Isn’t it amazing how people can seem completely together and totally, well, non-anxious, and then you find out they’re just as human as the rest of us? I have a lot of anxiety too, and am always amazed to hear some of my friends express the same thing. . .
Yes, always a relief to know that everyone has problems. Thanks, Kelsie!
I love this chili, I don’t cook sweet potatoes as much as I would like to because my kids refuse to eat them, but maybe I could convince them with a dish like this.
This looks amazing! Thanks for sharing.