Quinoa Chili
Lissa Coffey
| INGREDIENTS: |
| 1 cup uncooked, rinsed quinoa 2 cups water 1 pound extra lean ground beef (can be omitted) 1 tablespoon olive oil 1 chopped onion 4 minced garlic cloves 1 finely chopped jalapeno pepper (seeded if you don’t like a lot of heat) 1 tablespoon chili powder 1 tablespoon ground cumin 1 (28 ounce) can crushed tomatoes 2 (19 ounce) cans black beans, rinsed and drained 1 (19 ounce) can of corn 1 chopped green bell pepper 1 chopped red bell pepper 1 teaspoon dried oregano leaves 1 teaspoon dried parsley salt and ground black pepper to taste crushed red pepper flakes to taste 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro |
| INSTRUCTIONS: |
| Bring the quinoa and water to a boil in a saucepan over high heat. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer until the quinoa is tender, and the water has been absorbed, about 15 to 20 minutes. Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat and stir in the ground beef. Cook and stir until the beef is crumbly, evenly browned, and no longer pink. Drain and discard any excess grease; set beef aside. Heat the olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Stir in the onion, garlic, and jalapeno pepper; cook and stir until the onion has softened and turned translucent, about 5 minutes. Season with chili powder and cumin; cook 1 minute more to release the flavor of the spices. Stir in the tomatoes, black beans, green bell pepper, red bell pepper, oregano, and parsley. Season to taste with salt, black pepper, and crushed red pepper flakes. Simmer until the bell peppers are tender, about 20 minutes. Once the red and green peppers are tender, stir in the quinoa, beef, and corn kernels. Return to a simmer, and cook 5 minutes to reheat. Stir in the cilantro to serve. *Water can be added during cooking to adjust thickness* Makes about 8 servings |