Quinoa Chili

MichJ's Note:

From http://feedyourfamily.blogspot.com This meatless chili makes a fantastic main course; it satisfies my comfort-food cravings, but is a much healthier alternative to traditional chili. Quinoa is packed with protein and amino acids - Wikipedia calls it a "complete protein source." We love this chili with half an avocado or some light sour cream, and I double the cayenne pepper because I like it hot! Enjoy!

• Total Time: 55 mins
• Prep Time: 5 mins
• Cook Time: 50 mins

Ingredients:

Servings: 3

• 2 (15 1/2 ounce) cans kidney beans, rinsed & drained
• 2 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 2 teaspoons salt
• 1 green pepper, chopped
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 2 teaspoons cumin
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
• 2/3 cup quinoa, rinsed in warm water & drained
• 1 cup frozen corn
• 1 (15 1/2 ounce) can tomato sauce
• 1 cup water

Directions:

1. Heat oil in skillet over medium heat. Add onions, and sauté until tender.
2. Add salt, garlic, pepper and spices; sauté for 5-10 minutes.
3. Add rinsed quinoa and stir. Add corn, tomato sauce, and water to onion/quinoa mixture. Simmer together 20 minutes.
4. Add beans to the pot and simmer another 15 minutes.
5. Serve with grated cheese, sour cream, sliced avocados or whatever else you like to put on chili.

Reviews

[Karlys]

This is delicious! I love the sweetness of the quinoa, green pepper, and cinnamon.

[Sweet Tortellini]

Amazing Chili, the fact that it was meatless didn't detract from it at all!

Try not to overcook it, such as in a crock pot because Quinoa will become a blob instead of having that yummy texture it naturally possesses.

Add meat if you want: Drop in 1lb of ground meat of your choice instead of one of the cans of beans.

Enjoy!

[SwedishExpat]

Good recipe, I love anything with quinoa and this didn't disappoint! The only changes I made were that I omit the cumin (personal taste, we don't care for it) and replaced the cayenne with green harissa. Oh, and I also added chopped carrots for additional nutrition. I think spinach would be great in this, too, will try that next time :) The quinoa really helps the texture if you miss the meat. I made this in my crock pot and left it to "crock" for 3 hours on high at first, then 3 hours on low. Served with sliced avocado's and a dollop of plain Greek yogurt on top. **update: after it mellowed for several hours, it became a bit bland, which is odd. I am thinking it was because of the extra quinoa I added, although I did correct the seasonings halfway through. Next time (and there will be!) I will add the cumin, even though we don't care for it...perhaps it adds a dimension that we are missing**