Not a Loud Mouth Mom: Quinoa Chili

Not a Loud Mouth Mom: Quinoa Chili: This dish is healthy, hearty, delicious, and (best of all) easy to cook! The fluffy texture of the quinoa (pronounced "keen-wah") complement...

Quinoa Chili

This dish is healthy, hearty, delicious, and (best of all) easy to cook! The fluffy texture of the quinoa (pronounced "keen-wah") complements the crunchy/grainy texture of the beans and the sweetness of the corn and tomatoes.  I usually prepare this dish on a lazy (if a lazy is possible with a toddler ambling about!) Sunday afternoon.

 Quinoa Chili

2 tablespoons oil
1 large onion, chopped
2 to 3 carrots, chopped
2 to 3 stalks of celery, chopped
1 tablespoon cumin
2 tablespoons chili powder
2 cloves garlic, pressed or minced
28 ounce can of crushed tomatoes
14 ounces black beans, drained and rinsed
14 ounces pinto beans, drained and rinsed

1 package of frozen sweet kernel corn
1 cup quinoa
2 cup vegetable broth
salt and pepper to taste
avocado and cilantro, to garnish

Directions:

1) Heat oil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Saute onions, carrots, and celery until soft, about 5 minutes. Add cumin and garlic, and saute until fragrant, about 30 seconds.

2) Pour can of tomatoes into saucepan. Cook 1 minute, then stir in beans and corn. Bring to a boil, then stir in broth and quinoa.

3) Cover and cook over medium heat until quinoa is tender, about 20 minutes. Season with salt and pepper to taste and serve topped with fresh avocado and cilantro.