Sweet Potato and Lentil Chili
Part One of the Nutritional Psychiatry and Brain Food Blog Series
Written by Tiernee Schatz, ATR-BC, LPC, NCC, CCTP
Recipe by Bri Jurss, MS, RD, CD of Simplistic Nutrition
I became passionate about food as medicine long before I became a mental health professional. Having experienced an emotional trauma that eventually led to a physical medical trauma, my guts were in disrepair. Nothing modern medicine had to offer at the time was working. Determined to heal my gut, I turned to food and have been on a journey ever since!
A decade ago, my medical doctors disregarded my attempts to communicate, “The food you are recommending me eat is making me sicker”. “Your condition has nothing to do with food”, they would tell me. Thankfully, I listened to my gut and did my own research! Today, most medical professionals have caught up and completely validate my experience and ask me all kinds of questions as far as what I ate to put my condition in “remission” (this is not meant to be medical advice-only sharing my personal experience).
It isn’t just medical doctors listening and believing in the power of food! Mental health practitioners are also noticing that the food we eat directly impacts the health of our brain and nervous system.
Nutritional psychiatry is the study of how diet and nutrition affect mental health and well-being. It's an emerging field of research that uses evidence-based dietary interventions to improve mental health.
And it all starts in the gut! 90-95% of the neurotransmitter, serotonin, is produced by the bacteria in our gut. Serotonin is a key component in sleep and mood regulation including many other bodily functions (Cleveland Clinic, 2022). Without a properly cared for gut microbiome, our serotonin levels can be impacted leading to disrupted sleep patterns, and even depression and anxiety symptoms (Aslam et al., 2018). Dr. Drew Ramsey evokes the image of a garden when discussing gut microbiome care and cultivation; “Seed them and feed them!” We seed our garden by eating “probiotics” which can be found in fermented foods like yogurt, kefir, sauerkraut, miso, and such. We feed the seeds with “prebiotics”, or plant fiber. With hundreds of different bacteria species in our gut, each preferring a different type of fiber, it is important to eat a wide variety plant matter.
This simple, one pot chili recipe boasts 17 different plants (herbs and spices count!), and you can even top it off with some greek yogurt for a probiotic boost and a full “seed them and feed them” meal!
Sweet potato and lentil chili
by Bri Jurss, MS, RD, CD of Simplistic Nutrition
Ingredients
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 cup diced red onion
- 1 jalapeño, seeded and finely diced (optional)
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 medium sized sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1 inch cubes
- 2 tbsp chili powder
- 1 tbsp paprika
- 2 tsp cumin
- 2 tsp dried oregano
- 1⁄4 tsp cinnamon
- 2 tbsp tomato paste
- 1 tbsp maple syrup (optional)
- 28 oz can crushed tomatoes
- 3 cups low sodium vegetable or chicken broth
- 1 cup red lentils, rinsed
- 15 oz can black beans, rinsed and drained
- 15 oz can kidney beans, rinsed and drained
- Optional toppings: avocado, cilantro, greek yogurt.
Instructions
- In a large pot over medium high heat, heat olive oil. Add in onion, sweet potato, and jalapeno if you wish to make it a bit spicier. Season with salt and pepper.
- Sauté for 5 minutes. Add in garlic and spices and sauté for another 3 minutes.
- Add in tomato paste, maple syrup (if desired for a bit of sweetness), crushed tomatoes, and broth.
- Stir and bring to a boil
- Add in lentils, stir, and turn the heat down to medium low and simmer for 20 minutes.
- Stir occasionally so the lentils do not stick to the bottom.
- After 20 minutes of simmering, stir in the black and kidney beans and continue to simmer for another 5-10 minutes
- Serve with avocado, cilantro, or greek yogurt!
- Enjoy!
Bri Jurss is a registered dietician specializing in eating disorders and disordered eating. Learn more about her and her simple, mindful, and personalized approach to working with clients at Simplistic Nutrition
Aslam, H., Green, J., Jacka, F. N., Collier, F., Berk, M., Pasco, J., & Dawson, S. L. (2018). Fermented foods, the gut and mental health: a mechanistic overview with implications for depression and anxiety. Nutritional Neuroscience, 23(9), 659–671. https://doi.org/10.1080/1028415X.2018.1544332
Cleveland Clinic. (2022, March 18). Serotonin. Cleveland Clinic. https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/articles/22572-serotonin
Ramsey, D. (2016). Eat Complete. HarperCollins.
This is the first in a series of Nutritional Psychiatry psycho-education blog posts.
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