Vegetarian Quinoa Chili

Cooking vegetarian while a friend was in town- check!  Making quinoa- check!  Use some form of tomatoes- check!  Everything I need from this meal is complete.  If you haven't noticed, I use (or talk about) quinoa and tomatoes (mostly in the form of a can) in almost everything I cook.  The added bonus was being vegetarian for my friend while still keeping it hearty for Austin.  This meal certainly did that.  Of course chili has beans it in, and I am their biggest fans.  With this recipe, however, the beans didn't bother me at all and actually added to the tastiness.

We also added some corn bread.  Jiffy cornbread is my favorite.  50 cents a box, and it's pretty good.  Not the best, but certainly better tasting than you would expect with the price.

Vegetarian Quinoa Chili

(adapted from twopeasandtheirpod.com)

Ingredients

1/2 cup quinoa, rinsed
1 cup water
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 jalapeno pepper, diced (I bought jarred, sliced jalapenos and cut them up very carefully!)
1 large carrot, peeled and chopped
2 celery stalks, chopped
1 green bell pepper, chopped
1 red bell pepper, chopped
1 medium zucchini, chopped
2 (15 ounce) cans black beans, drained and rinsed
1 (15 ounce) can red kidney beans, drained and rinsed
1 (28 ounce) cans diced tomatoes
1 (15 ounce) can tomato sauce
2 tablespoons chili powder, depending on your taste
1 tablespoon ground cumin
Salt and black pepper, to taste

Directions

In a medium sauce pan, combine the quinoa and water. Cook over medium heat until water is absorbed, about 15 minutes. Set aside.  In a large pot, heat the olive oil over high heat. Add the onion and cook until tender, about 5 minutes. Stir in garlic, jalapeño, carrot, celery, peppers, and zucchini. Cook until vegetables are tender, about 10 minutes.  Add the black beans, kidney beans, tomatoes, and tomato sauce. Stir in the cooked quinoa. Season with chili powder, cumin, salt, and black pepper. Simmer chili on low for about 30 minutes.

4 points a serving.