Quinoa chili

This. was. a hit. My husband ate 2 bowls, and told me how much he liked it, and he is in fact my biggest critic. His mother to this day is a fantastic cook, and in his lifetime he has become a food snob at times. So the compliment is taken highly when one is given! 

The recipe is as follows: 

• 1 cup quinoa
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 onion, diced
• 2 (14.5-ounce) cans diced tomatoes
• 1 (15-ounce) can tomato sauce
• 1 (4.5-ounce) can diced green chiles
• 1 1/2 tablespoons chili powder, or more, to taste
• 2 teaspoons cumin
• 1 1/2 teaspoons paprika
• 1 1/2 teaspoons sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
• 1 (15-ounce) can kidney beans, drained and rinsed
• 1 (15-ounce) can black beans, drained and rinsed
• 1 1/2 cups corn kernels
• 3 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro leaves
• Juice of 1 lime
• 1 avocado, halved, seeded, peeled and diced

I have always really liked quinoa, its a great grain to use because it is the highest level of protein found in the grain world. Or pretty close ;) I really enjoy the red over the tan, I'm not sure why.

Quinoa can be made just like sticky rice, which is great. So I start by taking 1 cup quinoa to 2 cups water, and put it all in my rice cooker and let it cook away. I can ignore it-- which is what I like.

Put that bad boy on cook, and focus on your veggies. 

So I get an onion and 3 cloves of garlic. I peel the outside remnants off and start to dice.

I then take a quart pot or a dutch oven and put about a tablespoon of avocado oil into the bottom and let the garlic and the onion simmer until almost translucent. It says 2-3 minutes in the original recipe, but I think you should just stir and watch until you get your result. 

From there, add your black and kidney beans, 2 cans of diced tomatoes, and 15 oz of tomato sauce. stir and let sit.

I then had a can of full- peeled, and hollowed out chiles I bought for a 1.50 at the store and chopped myself. I'm sure you can buy them already chopped, but what the heck.

Add to your simmering beans and tomatoes, your spices and chopped green chiles 

Once your quinoa is done, there should be no remaining water in your rice cooker.

dump it all into the simmering mixture you've already put together.

Stir it all together and let it simmer for another 10-15 minutes until thick. To speed it along put a lid on your pot.

So thick, and there will be so much food, plenty for left overs!

add a dollup of sour cream and a pinch of cheese. 

and enjoy!

**Disclaimer: You can add corn and avocado to this recipe, but since I cant eat corn and my husband doesnt like it, we omitted it. & our avocado wasnt ripe enough yet. This meal cost roughly $15.00 ***