Pumpkin Quinoa White Bean Chili

This recipe is from AllysonKramer.com.

PUMPKIN QUINOA WHITE BEAN CHILI

(Allyson Kramer)

NOTE: Leave out coconut milke for Jumpstart-compliant version.

• 1 large onion, diced

• 3 cloves garlic, minced

• 1 red bell pepper, diced

• 2 tablespoons olive oil sherry or wine

• 1/2 teaspoon sea salt

• 3 to 4 teaspoons chili powder

• 2 teaspoons cumin powder

• 1 teaspoon smoked paprika

• 1/2 teaspoon allspice

• Dash nutmeg

• 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon

• 1 cup shredded carrot

• 2 cans (15 ounces each) pumpkin purée (solid packed works great)

• 4 cups vegetable broth

• 3 cups cooked cannellini beans

• 1/2 cup canned coconut milk [or coconut extract]

• 1 1/2 cups cooked red quinoa

• 1/2 cup scallions, chopped

• 1 avocado, diced

• 1/2 cup minced fresh cilantro
  
  Place the onion, garlic, and red pepper along with the olive oil and sea salt into a large stock pot and sauté over medium-high heat until the peppers are tender, about 10 minutes. Stir often to prevent burning.

  Add in the spices, carrot, pumpkin purée and vegetable broth and simmer over medium heat for 11 minutes. Stir in the cannellini beans, coconut milk and quinoa and simmer an additional 5 to 10 minutes, or until heated through and thickened slightly. Fold in the scallions and then top each individual serving with ample avocado and cilantro. Let cool about 15 minutes before serving; the chili will thicken about standing.

  Makes 8 servings chili.

  Mrs Vegan Website Spotlight #1.pdf

  
  
  This was a Recipe Challenge recipe.
  
  I had a number of observations about this recipe.

First of all, I love to cook, but I felt like a newbie with this recipe. It wasn’t like any other chili I had ever made so I felt like I had to constantly check the recipe for the sequence of steps where otherwise I might just wing it once I had the ingredients assembled. But now that I have made it once, I think I could much more easily make it another time.

This is the only chili recipe I have ever made that has no tomatoes in it! It also calls for quinoa, a gluten-free grain. This recipe will come in very handy with our friend who is both gluten-free and nightshade free (the nightshades are tomatoes, eggplant, bell peppers, and potatoes).

I changed up the recipe even before making it the first time. The recipe called for 3-4 tsp chili powder and 2 tsp cumin. I don’t typically use that much in a recipe, especially of the chili powder which carried the “heat” so I scaled it back. The chili did call for allspice which is unusual and I stuck with that amount. I’m glad, as it gave a distinctive taste to the dish.

The recipe called for 2 small cans or 1 large can of solid pack pumpkin. I just used one. I thought I had some frozen leftover squash to supplement the recipe and could not find it. But having made the recipe, I would say just one small can is perfect.