I love chili, but since I stopped eating meat I hadn’t found a recipe online that I liked. They all added extra veggies that I’m not used to having in chili. Things like sweet potatoes, zucchini, carrots, corn…even avocado. I’m sure these are all good if you want a tomato-based veggie stew, but they would likely fall short when what I am craving is chili!
So I tweaked the ingredients, borrowed a few from here and a few from there, and came up with my own recipe. It’s extra spicy and the quinoa is a perfect substitute for “meat”.
One never knows how these kitchen adventures will end up, but I am delighted to report that I have a keeper here. Throw in a side of cornbread and it’s the perfect comfort dish for a chilly Sunday afternoon!
You will need a cutting board and knife. Measuring cup and tablespoon. A stew-sized pot and a medium saucepan with lids.
First:
Prepare 2 cups of cooked quinoa (1 cup quinoa to 2 cups water)
Next Step:
1 large onion diced
5 cloves garlic chopped
Tbs olive oil
Carmelize onions and garlic while quinoa is cooking.
Then add:
1 12 oz can tomato paste
1 can rotel
1 can of tomato sauce
1 can diced tomatoes
2 cups veggie broth
Next add a bit of heat!
2 tbs chili powder
1 tbs Sriracha sauce
1 tbs crushed red pepper
1 tbs salt
1 tbs cocoa powder
Add 4 cans of beans ( your choice – I like a tri-bean blend but you could use kidney or black bean)
And add the quinoa.
Simmer for at least 30 minutes on low heat, stirring often to keep the quinoa from sticking on the bottom.
Enjoy!
