Vegetarian Quinoa Chili Recipe

Nothing says winter comfort more than a delicious and spicy bowl of chili.

We have a vegetarian chili recipe for you that’s packed with plant protein to keep you healthy, full and warm on the inside!

Ingredients:

• 2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• 1 large onion, diced (to make approximately 1 ½ cup)
• 3-4 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 (411g) cans diced organic (low sodium) tomatoes
• 1 (411g) can of stewed organic tomatoes (crush with hand blender)
• 1 (284 ml) can of low sodium organic tomato soup
• 1 1/2 – 2 cups of vegetarian soup stock (low sodium)
• 1 ½ cups of chopped fresh organic mushrooms
• Diced green /red chili peppers to taste (the amount depends on your “heat” tolerance)
• 1 large red pepper & 1 large green pepper chopped into small pieces
• 4 celery stalks chopped in small pieces
• 2 (425g) cans kidney beans, drained and rinsed (one dark red, one light red)
• 1 (425g) can black beans, drained and rinsed
• 1 (425g) can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
• 2 cups quinoa, cooked
• 2 Tbsp chili powder
• 2 tsp ground cumin
• 1.5 tsp smoked paprika
• 2 tsp cocoa powder
• 1 tsp ground black pepper
• 1 tsp cayenne pepper
• 1 dried bay leaf
• Freshly ground salt, to taste
• 1/2 cup cilantro, chopped (optional)
• 5 stalks of chopped green onion
• Juice of 1 lime

Directions:

• Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium-high heat. Add onion and sauté for about 4 minutes.
• Add in garlic with sautéed onions. Stir for 1 minute.
• Add mushrooms and sauté for another 2 minutes until softened.
• Add diced tomatoes, tomato sauce, and vegetarian soup stock (add water later if desired, depending on consistency of mixture).
• Chop green/red chilies and add to pot in small amounts (to taste).
• Add remaining spices: chili powder, cumin, cocoa, paprika, sugar, coriander, cayenne pepper, black pepper and smoked paprika.
• Bring mixture just to a boil, then reduce heat to a simmer, cover pot and allow mixture to simmer for 30 minutes on medium heat.
• Add in all beans, chickpeas, red/green peppers, cooked quinoa, cilantro (optional), green onions and lime juice.
• Season with salt and pepper to taste.
• Cook mixture on low heat for another 20-30 minutes, stirring intermittently until heated through.

You can serve as soon as the chili is heated through. We also suggest letting the chili cool for about 45 minutes before placing into separate containers and freezing – a quick and healthy dinner or lunch meal.

Enjoy!

This recipe was written by Christie Pike from Eminence Organics.
You can find their blog here

The Green Spa & Wellness Center recommends this great tasty recipe to keep your warm during these cold snowy days.