A Chili New Year

Well, hello.  Happy New Year!  I'm sorry I haven't posted in a while but I've been scared to cook due to the mouse situation.  Now that they are officially gone, I decided it was time to get back in the kitchen.  I'm also tired of spending too much $ on take out salads that could easily be made in my own kitchen.

Being that its cold and I'm just getting over a cold myself, I wanted something warm and comforting (no, I didn't make soup).  I went with Quinoa Chili from Lizzy's blog.  I knew I had quinoa, tomatoes, and cheese at my apartment and I knew the rest of the ingredients would be easy to grab at the store.

I added a few things and made some minor substitutions from her original recipe, but the end result was delicious!

Ingredients:

1 cups rinsed and drained quinoa
2 cups chicken broth
1 large onion, diced
1 green bell pepper, seeded and diced
1 cup chopped celery
1 jalapeño pepper, seeded and minced
2 tomatoes, cored and diced
1 cup diced carrots
1 cup diced summer squash
One 16-oz. can navy beans, drained
2 cups Pace Picante sauce
1/2 package of Old El Paso Chili Seasoning Mix
1/2 tsp. black pepper
1/2 tsp. salt
A sprinkling of Mixed Mexican Blend cheese

Instructions:
Combine quinoa and chicken broth in saucepan, cover and bring to a simmer over medium heat. Cook until liquid is absorbed, about 15 to 20 minutes. 

Remove from heat and let stand about 10 minutes.

Meanwhile, heat a large, non-stick pan; add onion, bell pepper, summer squash, celery and jalapeno. Saute 7 minutes over medium heat. Stir in fresh tomatoes and carrots; sauté 3 to 4 minutes. 

Stir in beans, crushed tomatoes, and seasonings; cook about 25 minutes over low heat, stirring occasionally. Stir in quinoa; cook 5 minutes more. 

Ladle chili into bowls and top with avocado (I forgot avocado at the store so I skipped this step), cheese and some french bread (I had Arnold 100 calorie rounds, so I used these instead).

**I must warn you, if you don't love your chili super spicy, I'd sub the Picante sauce for one can of crushed tomatoes and go light on the jalapeño.  


Eat and Enjoy!!