Autumn Chilli Recipes: Sweet Potato & Beef | Craft Your Body
By Caroline Grey, Founder of Craft Your Body
As the evenings get darker and the temperature drops, my body naturally wants warm, comforting food. Salads and cold plates lose their appeal, but that doesn't mean nutrition has to go out of the window. This is the time of year I lean on one-pot dishes — meals I can batch cook on a Sunday and reheat in minutes on busy weeknights.
Chilli is one of my favourites because it ticks every box for women in midlife: protein to protect muscle and bone, fibre to support gut health and blood sugar balance, vegetables for micronutrients, and enough flavour that you don't feel like you're missing out. It freezes well, it scales up easily, and it feels like a hug in a bowl.
I'm sharing two versions: a vegetarian sweet potato and bean chilli, and my classic lean beef chilli. Both can be cooked on the hob or in a slow cooker — I just find the sweet potato version really benefits from the slow cooker, where the spices have time to infuse properly. Both serve four as written, but I usually double the quantities and stash portions in the freezer.
You don't have to be a great cook to make dishes like this — these recipes are designed to be easy. If you are a confident cook, feel free to add your own flair; either way, they are simple, effective and built around real nutrition.
Slow-Cooker Sweet Potato & Bean Chilli (Vegetarian)
This is the one I make when I want to walk back into the house at 6pm to a kitchen that already smells amazing. The sweet potato gives it body and a little natural sweetness, and the beans bring the protein and fibre. I personally use kidney beans in water rather than beans in chilli sauce, but use what you have — the sauce version just adds a bit more kick.
Ingredients
- 8 spring onions, trimmed and thinly sliced
- 450g sweet potato, peeled and cut into 2cm chunks
- 1 yellow pepper, seeds removed, finely chopped
- 2 garlic cloves, crushed
- 400g tin chopped tomatoes
- 395g tin red kidney beans in chilli sauce, or kidney beans in water
- 400g tin mixed beans, drained and rinsed
- ¼–½ tsp dried chilli flakes, to taste
- 1 tsp ground cumin
- 1 tsp ground coriander
- ½ cinnamon stick or ¼ tsp ground cinnamon
- 1 tsp mixed dried herbs
- 1 tbsp soft brown sugar
- 150ml hot vegetable stock
- Salt and ground black pepper
Method
- Add the spring onions, sweet potato, yellow pepper, garlic, chopped tomatoes, kidney beans, mixed beans, vegetable stock, brown sugar, mixed herbs, chilli flakes, cumin, coriander, cinnamon and a good pinch of salt and pepper to your slow cooker. Stir everything together.
- Cook on low for 6–7 hours or on high for 3–4 hours, until the sweet potato is tender but still holding its shape.
- Taste and adjust the seasoning. Remove the cinnamon stick if you used one. Serve with a dollop of Greek yoghurt, a sprinkle of fresh coriander, or a scoop of wholegrain rice.
Optional extra step: if you have time, soften the spring onions, garlic and yellow pepper in a little olive oil over a medium heat for 5 minutes, then add the spices and cook for another minute before tipping into the slow cooker. It adds a little depth, but the chilli still tastes great without it.
Classic Lean Beef Chilli
This is my go-to when I want something a little more substantial after a strength session. The lean beef mince gives a solid protein hit, and the beans and peppers bulk it out with fibre and volume. It's quick enough for a midweek dinner and even better the next day.
Ingredients (serves 4)
- 1 medium onion, finely chopped
- 2 garlic cloves, crushed
- 1 red pepper, finely chopped
- 500g lean beef mince
- 400g tin chopped tomatoes
- 2 tbsp tomato purée
- 1 x 400g tin kidney beans
- 1 beef stock cube in 300ml boiling water
- 1 tsp chilli powder
- 1 tsp ground cumin
- 1 tsp paprika
- ½ tsp dried marjoram
- 1 tsp sugar
- Salt and ground black pepper
Method
- Fry the onion and garlic in a large pan over a medium heat for about 5 minutes, until softened.
- Add the red pepper and spices — chilli powder, cumin and paprika. Fry for another 3 minutes to wake up the flavours.
- Add the mince and break it up with a wooden spoon. Cook until browned all over.
- Stir in the tomato purée, then add the chopped tomatoes, beef stock, marjoram and sugar. Mix well.
- Add a pinch of salt and pepper. Cover and simmer for 20 minutes.
- Add the kidney beans and simmer uncovered for a further 10 minutes, until the sauce has thickened slightly.
- Taste, adjust seasoning, and serve. I like this with a side of steamed greens, a baked sweet potato or rice.
Free download: Both recipe cards
Save or print both chilli recipes — ingredients and method on one page each, branded and ready for the fridge door or your recipe folder.
Download the Recipe CardsWhy these work in midlife
Both recipes are built around the same principles I coach my clients on: protein at every meal, plenty of fibre, colourful vegetables, and enough flavour that the meal feels satisfying.
- Protein. The beef chilli gives you roughly 30–40g protein per portion from the mince and beans. The vegetarian version is lighter on the beef but still delivers 15–20g protein per portion from the mixed beans and kidney beans — add a scoop of Greek yoghurt or a sprinkle of cheese to push it higher.
- Fibre. Beans, peppers, sweet potato and tomatoes all add fibre, which supports gut health, helps keep blood sugar steadier, and keeps you fuller for longer.
- Batch cooking. Double the recipe, portion into containers once cooled, and freeze flat. Future-you will thank present-you on the nights when cooking feels like too much.
- Warmth and satisfaction. In autumn and winter, your body often wants denser, warmer food. Honour that. Restriction rarely works long term, especially in midlife when stress and hormones are already doing enough.
Serving ideas
I serve these with wholegrain rice, baked sweet potato, or a simple green salad. A spoonful of Greek yoghurt on top adds creaminess and a little extra protein. If you want crunch, a small handful of pumpkin seeds works beautifully. And if you like heat, keep a bottle of hot sauce on the table — let everyone adjust their own bowl.
Want recipes and habits that fit your life?
If you'd like help building a nutrition plan around your hormones, your schedule and the foods you actually enjoy, book a free discovery call. If you can't see a convenient time, email me at hello@craftyourbody.com and I'll find a slot that works for you.
Book a Discovery Call
