Eating the Pantry: Sweet Potato Black Bean Chili Recipe
by Aimee
Last night we enjoyed dinner at my in-law’s place and during the meal, Noah informed his grandmother that at home we were ‘eating the pantry’.
Her eyelids fluttered for a second and then she politely inquired what ‘eating the pantry’ meant, exactly. It does sound strange, I will admit, but it was rewarding to hear my boys explaining the very practice I’ve been teaching them. Apparently, they do listen and understand.
Other than a milk run and a bag of produce from a local market, we haven’t bought groceries yet in 2015. We’re living off the kitchen stores…that well-stocked pantry with its grains, legumes and pasta, the canning shelf of fruits, tomatoes, applesauce and jams, and the freezer, with its jars of stock, frozen summer berries and vegetables.
There are plenty of ingredients to cook from; it just takes a little more planning. It’s a lot more vegetarian eating, which is a welcome change after the excess of the holidays (four turkey dinners).
Why are we shopping the pantry? It’s quite simple: BUDGET. We reviewed our December spending on groceries + alcohol — not including eating out (I’m looking at you, London. Ouch.) — and good gracious, that was a shock. It’s definitely time to tighten the belt and get creative with the ingredients I have on hand.
First, though, I got the family on board. Oh, no honey for your morning oatmeal? We’ll use maple syrup. No clementines for school lunch? There’s a box of apples in the ‘root cellar‘. Sorry if you’re missing your eggs for breakfast, but we have steel cut oats and I’ll even cook them with apples and cinnamon for you.
Cooking mainly from pantry ingredients is a challenge I embrace every year. This time two years ago I created a slow-cooker Chickpea Stew with Apricots and Turnip, served up over cous-cous for a rustic dish that was full of flavour. Last January, this Preserved Lemon Quinoa with Shaved Brussels & Toasted Walnuts received rave reviews for creativity and taste.
This year we fell hard for a vegan dish, with sweet potato as the star.
Pantry ingredients shine in my Sweet Potato Black Bean Chili; nothing from the refrigerator, like dairy or meat. They are pictured above, with the exception of maple syrup, salt and dried oregano. Items like potatoes, onions and garlic all fall into the ‘pantry’ category for me because they are not refrigerated, but stored in a cool, dark place. And stock? Well, mine comes from my freezer, but in many kitchens, it hangs out in a can or carton in the cupboard.
This chili is a very satisfying dish that is even better on the second day, after the flavours have had a chance to mingle a little. Yep, it is vegan, but if you eat dairy, try it finished with a little grated sharp cheddar or a dollop of sour cream. I rounded mine out with diced avocado and it was a desk lunch worth remembering. Eating the pantry has hardly been so tasty (and so cheap!).
Affordable, delicious and good for you? I think this chili needs to go on your menu this week.
| Sweet Potato Black Bean Chili | Print |
- 1 Tablespoon coconut oil
- 1 large sweet onion, diced
- 1 large sweet potato, peeled
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 1/2 teaspoon whole cumin seed
- Dash of crushed chilis or to taste
- 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 large bay leaf
- 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
- 3 cups crushed tomatoes
- 2 cups vegetable stock or water
- 1 14-oz can black beans, rinsed and drained
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 Tablespoon maple syrup
- 2 Tablespoons fine cornmeal
- 1/4 cup pepitas, to garnish
- In a large, heavy-bottomed pot, heat coconut oil over medium heat. Add onion and cook, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes.
- Meanwhile, cut the sweet potato into small cubes. Add the garlic and spices to the onion and cook for 1 minute. Tip in the sweet potato, crushed tomatoes, broth and beans. Stir well to combine.
- Increase heat to medium high. Bring the chili to a simmer and cook for 1 hour. Stir occasionally.
- Test sweet potato for doneness, and if it is soft enough to be mashed with a fork, yet still holds its shape, the chili is ready for the final step.
- Add the salt and the maple syrup. Sprinkle the cornmeal over the top and stir well. Lower heat and cook for an additional 15 minutes, stirring often. Chili will thicken.
- Scoop into bowls, garnish with pepitas and enjoy.
More on Eating the Pantry
Jessica from Good Cheap Eats is running an official Pantry Challenge all January with the goal of saving money and not wasting what you have. You can visit her site for plenty of good ideas, as well as watch the #pantrychallenge hashtag on Instagram for inspiration.
Here are a few of my own Instas from the week of eating the pantry:
A risotto base with homemade chicken stock, started with leeks instead of onions, and finished with a generous scoop of canned pumpkin and plenty of Parmesan (not running low on that yet, thank goodness.)
Peaches canned in honey syrup, sauced with Bird’s Custard that I doctored up with vanilla sugar and a pinch of sea salt.
Fortunately, everyone in the family loves beans and bean-based dinners. These pinto beans spent the better part of the day in the slow cooker with a ham hock, garlic, bay leaf, tomato paste and a spoonful of brown sugar. Later we spread them into corn tortillas with cheese, salsa and shredded iceberg lettuce.
Looking for more ideas? Here you go: 12 meals from the whole foods pantry
Are you eating from the pantry this month? What’s on the menu?
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