As soon as the weather cools off and we can tolerate having the stove or oven on inside, I make at least one one-pot meal a week. Big recipes that can sit simmering on the stove feed us throughout the week and completely slay the What am I doing for dinner? dilemma.

These meals (and I have a lot of them) are especially great on, say, rainy Mondays when you have a ton of work to do and you're home with the kiddo.

Remember that Punjabi Aloo Matar?

This weekend I made a big pot of chili on Sunday night that has already saved me once today. I love this chili recipe. The ingredients are simple, the flavors are complex, and it only takes 20 minutes to throw together - 15 minutes if you're stronger than the leaky mess I become when faced with chopping onions. I leave out the beans to accommodate sensitive bellies, and add sweet potatoes to pack in the nutrients.

Turkey Chili with Sweet Potatoes
Prep Time: 15 minutes | Cook Time: 45+ minutes | Serves: 6-8

1.5 lbs Ground Turkey
2 tbsp Coconut Oil
3 Garlic, Cloves minced
1 Yellow Onion, diced
1 Jalapeño Pepper, minced
1 Green Bell Pepper, diced
4 Poblano Peppers, diced
1 large Sweet Potato, cubed
3 tbsp Chili Powder
1 tbsp Unsweetened Cocoa Powder
1 tbsp Light Brown Sugar
2 tsp Salt
1 tsp White Pepper
1 tsp Black Pepper
1 tsp Crushed Red Pepper
1 tsp Smoked Paprika
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper (if you like more heat)
4 cups Chicken or Vegetable Broth

1. In a large heavy pot over medium heat, sauté garlic and onions in 1 tbsp of coconut oil until the onion begins to sweat. Add peppers and continue to stir until the peppers begin to soften (about 3 minutes). Transfer the garlic, onions, and peppers to a bowl and set aside.

2. Add the remaining tablespoon of coconut oil to the pot and brown the ground turkey.

3. Once the turkey is browned, return the vegetables to the pot and stir together. Then add the chili powder, cocoa powder, brown sugar, salt, white pepper, black pepper, crushed red pepper, cayenne, and paprika, mixing thoroughly.

4. Add the cubed sweet potatoes and broth. Place a lid on the pot and simmer on medium heat until the sweet potatoes are soft, about 15-20 minutes. Continue to simmer uncovered to evaporate excess liquid until the chili thickens like a gravy, about 30 more minutes.

5. Once it's the right consistency, you can continue to simmer the chili on low with a lid on. The longer this cooks, the better it's going to be.

Serve it up with corn bread or corn chips, your favorite cheddar, and some green onions. Add a dollop of sour cream if you're feeling wild, (or greek yogurt for the more conservative types).

Full disclosure: I had a bowl of this chili at 11 a.m. and it totally hit the spot. I am going to use daylight savings and a 5:30 a.m. wakeup as an excuse.

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