Quick Crockpot Chili with Turkey Sausage & Sweet Potatoes

Warm chili made in the crockpot is great to come home to on those chilly days.

• 2 lbs lean ground beef or chicken
• 1 package Mark's turkey sausage or pork sausage
• 2 tbsp. coconut oil or camelina oil
• 1 cup organic onion, chopped
• 2 organic zucchini, quartered lengthwise and chopped into chunks
• 1 organic red pepper, cut in 1/2" dices
• 3 cups organic mushrooms, sliced (about 1/4")
• 1 large organic yam, quartered and sliced into 1/4" pieces
• 1-3" piece wakame
• 1 large can mixed beans
• 1 can Eden black soybeans
• 2 large cans crushed tomatoes
• 1 can tomato paste (optional)
• 2 cups chicken stock
• 1 tbsp coarse grey sea salt
• 1/2 tsp. smoked paprika
• 2 tbsp. chili powder
• 1 tbsp. cumin

pinch cayenne or to taste  

Place oil in a large skillet over medium heat.  Add in ground meat.  Remove casings from sausage and add to ground meat.  Break up sausages into chunks with spatula.  Brown the meat, stirring constantly.  Add in onions, garlic, salt and seasonings.  When onions are softened, remove the mixture to the crock pot.  Add beans, tomatoes and chicken stock.  Mix together well and add in remaining ingredients (except for tomato paste).  Let cook in slow cooker on LOW for 8 hours or on HI for about 4 hours.  Add in tomato paste at the end if mixture is too runny.

Recipe by: Sandy Pomeroy