One of my favorite easy, quick crockpot meals is this “Beanless Sweet Potato Chili,” also known as a “Brainless Chili” thanks to my phone’s auto-correct feature (haha)! Coincidentally, it’s also grain free / grainless, but I’ve been known to eat it with corn chips.
Ingredients:
- 2 large sweet potatoes
- 1 cup carrots chopped
- 1 pound of ground beef (can substitute for chicken, turkey or even tofu!)
- 2 tbsp cumin
- 2 tbsp dried basil
- 4 cups chicken broth
Instructions:
- Peel and cut the sweet potatoes into cubes, then boil them for 20 minutes
- Brown the ground beef (or chicken)
- Put the all ingredients into a crockpot / slow cooker
- Cook on low for 2-4 hours
I love crockpot meals because they help me conserve energy and don’t require a lot of strain on my finger joints, which are sometimes sore from rheumatoid arthritis (RA).
What’s the deal with nutrition and inflammatory arthritis?
One of the first questions people newly diagnosed with RA often ask is: “Should I start a new diet or change what I eat in order to help with my symptoms?” In my Rheum to THRIVE framework and educational program, nutrition falls under the umbrella of “H: Healthy / Helpful Habits.”
When it comes to dietary interventions for rheumatoid arthritis, many people find that adopting an overall anti-inflammatory, Mediterranean-style eating pattern can be beneficial. The American College of Rheumatology’s Guideline for Exercise, Rehabilitation, Diet, and Additional Integrative Interventions for Rheumatoid Arthritis (2022) also supports this approach.
It’s all about individualized treatments
That said, dietary interventions—like all treatments—should be personalized. What’s inflammatory for one person with RA might not be for another.
Take this recipe, for example. It includes red meat, which often appears on lists of inflammatory foods, but beef doesn’t trigger inflammation in my body.
On the other hand, beans—widely used in Mediterranean cuisine—are tough on my stomach due to my gastroparesis and history of Small Intestine Bacterial Overgrowth (SIBO). I also struggle with tomatoes because of acid reflux.
So, for me, this sweet potato and beef-based recipe is actually less inflammatory than a traditional Mediterranean dish with beans and tomatoes.
What’s your experience been?
What about you – do you like crockpot meals, and have you experimented with dietary interventions for your RA? Let me know in the comments!
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