Black Bean & Quinoa Chili

I can't believe I've never shared this recipe before.  I've posted a lot of black bean recipes, so I don't know how this missed the cut. It's sooo delicious.  One of my favorite dinners, hands down.

Like a lot of the vegetarian meals I've posted, you could go either way with this.  It wouldn't hurt my feelings if you wanted to crumble some cooked chorizo up on top.  But hey, guess what? Vegetarian chorizo is AMAZING.  Like, insanely delicious.  You could cook that up with the veggies, satisfy the carnivore in the group, and still have a Meatless Monday meal.  Uh-huh.

Okay, here's the recipe, (I cut it out of our paper years ago), with my notes:

Black Bean & Quinoa Chili
Printable Recipe

1 C quinoa, rinsed and drained
2 C water
1 Tbsp vegetable oil
1/2 large onion, diced
1 green bell pepper, seeded and diced
1 cup chopped celery
1 jalapeno, seeded and minced
2 medium tomatoes, cored and diced (I didn't use fresh tomatoes this time)
1 C diced carrots
2 15.5-ounce cans black beans, drained and rinsed
1 28-ounce can crushed tomatoes (I used petite diced this time)
1 Tbsp chili powder
1 Tbsp dried parsley (I've never bought this)
1 Tbsp dried oregano
2 tsp ground cumin (I used more 'cause I love it)
1 to 2 tsp ground black pepper
1 to 2 tsp salt
Optional garnishes:  sliced green onions, grated cheese, chopped bell pepper, sliced pickled or fresh jalapenos, cilantro, sour cream, avocado, salsa, hot sauce

Combine quinoa and water in a small saucepan, cover and bring to a simmer over medium heat.  Cook until liquid is absorbed, 15 to 20 minutes.  Remove from heat and set aside.

Meanwhile, heat oil in a large pot; add onion, bell pepper, celery and jalapeno.  Saute over medium heat until onion starts to brown, 5 to 7 minutes.  Stir in fresh tomatoes and carrots, and saute for an additional 3 to 4 minutes.

Stir in beans, crushed tomatoes, chili powder, parsley, oregano, cumin, and 1 teaspoon each salt and pepper; cook for about 25 minutes over low heat, stirring occasionally.  Stir in reserved quinoa.  Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Serve in bowls with optional toppings.

*This is really thick.  If you prefer your chili soupier, you can add a cup or so of broth or water when you stir in the quinoa.

You can load it up with whatever toppings you like.

This time around, I did jack cheese, pickled jalapenos, green onions, cilantro, sour cream, salsa, and hot sauce.

Here's dinner in my bowl:

Let me scoot some of those goodies over so you can see the actual chili.

Soooo delicious!

And one of the best parts is, all the different second-night meals you can get out of it.

I'll be back tomorrow to share one of them.

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