| 4 | Sweet potatoes, unpeeled |
| 1/2 cup | Onion, diced |
| 1 stalk | Celery, finely diced |
| 1-1/2 tsp | Olive oil |
| 1 | Medium carrot, finely diced |
| 1/2 cup | Bell pepper, diced (definitely use green, but also use yellow and red if you have them available) |
| 1/2 cup | Sliced mushrooms |
| 1 | Medium zucchini, cut into half inch chunks |
| 1/2 cup | Roma tomatoes, diced |
| 2 tsp | Garlic, minced |
| 1/2 tsp | Chili pwder |
| 1/2 tsp | Cumin |
| 1/4 tsp | Salt |
| 1/8 tsp | Pepper |
| 1/8 tsp | Cinnamon (optional) |
| 1/4 tsp | Cocoa powder (optional) |
| 1-15 oz | Can black beans, undrained |
| 1-8oz | Can tomato sauce |
| | Hot pepper sauce, to taste |
Using a fork, pierce the skins of the sweet potatoes in several pieces. Place on an oven proof rack on a cookie sheet and bake at 400 degrees F for 60-75 minutes. In a medium saucepan, saute the onion, celery, and carrots in olive oil for three minutes to soften. Add bell peppers, zucchini, and mushrooms and saute another 3-4 minutes until tender. Add tomatoes, garlic, and seasonings and saute two more minutes. Add beans, sauce, and season with hot sauce. Stir well and simmer ten minutes. Remove from heat. When potatoes are tender, remove from heat and cool for five minutes. For each serving, place 1 potato on a plate, split open, ladle some chili on top, and serve.
When I made this, the potatoes were looking pretty old and ugly, so after I baked them and let them cool, I peeled them and cut them into chunks and then served the chili over the. It didn't look as impressive, but it tasted great. Also, make sure not to put too much cinnamon in...I love the hint of cinnamon in chili, but my mom and my boyfriend tasted it right away and thought I should have put less in, or none at all.