Skip the packaged stock—it’s loaded with sodium this Black bean and sweet potato stew nets so much flavor with a water-based stew if you have a few staple spices. Don’t have refried beans?

Add the beef, chili powder, cumin and cayenne pepper and cook, stirring and breaking up any clumps with a wooden spoon, until ...

Now that I’m finally on the mend — and with antibiotics in tow — I look forward to our next snow day, when I’ll have this hearty ground beef, kidney bean and sweet potato chili at the ready.