Sweet Potato & Black Bean Chili

Welcome back to Soup Connection for another fun and tasteful season! We have some exciting new soups this year, along with some of your favorites from before. This week we are serving a past favorite ... Sweet Potato and Black Bean Chili. This hearty soup will warm you up during the cold winter evenings with its great combination of spices and ingredients.

 This recipe is also full of healthy carotenoids! 
Wait ... carotenoids? What are they?

Carotenoid Basics

Carotenoids are the orange, red, and yellow pigments found in fruits and vegetables that contain important nutrients, and are the main source of Vitamin A in our diet. The soup this week is full of sweet potatoes, tomatoes and bell peppers, which all contain high levels of carotenoids. Studies have found fruits and vegetables act as antioxidants and can be protective against oxidative stress, inflammation, some cancers and eye diseases. Also, it has been shown people who eat high amounts of fruits and vegetables are at lower risk for many chronic diseases.

Where Can I Find Carotenoids?

Carotenoids are found in fruits and vegetables that are yellow, orange and red throughout the entire food (see the chart for great examples).

How Do I Know If I Am Getting Enough Carotenoids?

When you pick up your soup this week, we will have a scanning device which measures the carotenoid levels in your skin. The more fruits and vegetables you eat, the higher your value will be! Stop by the display table to have your hand scanned - it will only take a minute!

We will also have the scanners available on the last day of your Soup Connection pick-up to test your level again, allowing you to see if improvements were made over the seven weeks of Soup Connection.

What Do My Results Mean?

Very Low		Average		Very High
0	10,000	20,000	30,000	40,000	50,000

• A lower level indicates you need to increase your consumption of fruits and vegetables to get adequate healthful nutrients. 
• An average level indicates you are consuming an adequate amount of fruits and vegetables; but slipping more fruits and vegetables into your meals would be beneficial. 
• A higher level indicates you are eating high carotenoid fruits and vegetables. Make sure you are eating a good variety ... and keep up the good work! 

Make It a Meal

Sweet Potato and Black Bean Chili is great served alongside a tasty loaf of Ciabatta bread from Crumb Brothers. At home you can garnish your chili with a ripe avocado, shredded cheese, and/or a dollop of sour cream.

Add some color and more carotenoids to your meal by adding a mixed green side salad topped with red, orange and yellow peppers. For a refreshing dessert, try a couple of fresh orange slices.

Check out the video (& recipe) below for delicious, carotenoid-packed, Roasted Vegetables:

Blog Content, Recipe & Video by: Mary Ann Jorgensen and Shelley Heap