Hooray for sweater weather and coming home to warm crockpot cuisines! This week we’re featuring all slow-cooked recipes and first up is Elle Penner, our Registered Dietitian with her veggie quinoa chocolate chili. Fluffy quinoa and tender veggies drown in chili-tomato sauce thickened with baker’s chocolate. Plus, you can stew it over stove-top OR crank it up crockpot style.
Veggie Quinoa Chocolate Chili
Ingredients
1/2 cup quinoa, thoroughly rinsed
1 cup water*
1 small onion, chopped
1/2 large butternut squash, chopped into 1/2-inch chunks (about 3 cups)
2 bell peppers
1 large zucchini, chopped
1 (15 ounce) can black beans, drained and rinsed
1 (15 ounce) can red kidney beans, drained and rinsed
3 (15 ounce) cans diced tomatoes
1 (15 ounce) can tomato sauce
3-4 cloves garlic, minced
1 jalapeno pepper, diced
2-3 tablespoons chili powder, to taste
1-2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder or 3-4 small squares unsweetened bakers chocolate, to taste
1 1/2 tablespoons ground cumin
1 tablespoon olive oil
Salt and black pepper, to taste
Optional Garnishes: avocado slices, cheese, Greek yogurt (instead of sour cream) and tortilla chips
Directions
Stove Top Instructions
In a medium sauce pan, combine the quinoa and water. Cook over medium heat until water is absorbed (15-20 minutes) and set aside. (If you have a rice cooker, use that instead.)
In a large pot, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the butternut squash, cooking for 5 minutes. Next, add the onion and bell pepper and cook another 5 minutes. Stir in garlic, jalapeño and zucchini. Cook 5 more minutes (~15 minutes total) until vegetables are tender. Add the black beans, kidney beans, tomatoes, and tomato sauce.
Stir in the cooked quinoa. Season with chili powder, cumin, cocoa powder/bakers chocolate, salt, and black pepper. Heat through and reduce to a simmer for about 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Freeze leftovers for a quick, healthy & delicious meal on a busy night.
Slow Cooker Instructions*
In a large pot, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the butternut squash, cooking for 5 minutes. Next, add the onion and bell pepper and cook another 5 minutes. Stir in garlic, jalapeño and zucchini. Cook 5 more minutes.
Add all your ingredients to the crockpot: stir-fried veggies, quinoa, *1/2 cup water, black beans, kidney beans, tomatoes, tomato sauce, chili powder, cumin, cocoa powder/bakers chocolate, salt, and black pepper.
Stir to mix then cover and cook for 4 to 6 hours on the low setting.
Nutrition Information
Serves: 8 | Serving Size: 1 1/2 cup
Per serving: Calories: 263; Total Fat: 5g; Saturated Fat: 1g; Monounsaturated Fat: 2g; Cholesterol: 0mg; Sodium: 381mg; Carbohydrate: 45g; Dietary Fiber: 12g; Sugar: 9g; Protein 12g
Nutrition Bonus: Potassium: 1131mg; Iron: 30%; Vitamin A: 158%; Vitamin C: 127%; Calcium: 13%
Elle Penner, MPH, RD, is the Registered Dietitian and Food & Nutrition Editor at MyFitnesssPal, as well as an active runner, food-enthusiast and healthy lifestyle blogger. For more healthy recipes and fitness inspiration, check out her blog, According to Elle, and connect with her on Facebook, Pinterest and Twitter.
Photo courtesy of Elle Penner. Original recipe can be found on According to Elle.