soup season anyone?
I don’t know about you but as soon as the leaves begin to transition and the temperature drops even 1 degree, I am all in for allllll.the.soups. I also am not sure if we consider chili a soup but for the purposes of this post, chili is for the day a soup.
I have long considered myself a bit of a chili snob because my mother, Barbie Bunnie, has for my entire life made lip smackin’ flavorful homemade chili that has set the bar VERY HIGH. And, it’s not just the recipe it’s something about how she makes it that gives it the extra bit of smackin’ goodness. Admittedly, when I’ve tried to recreate, it just never hits the mark. (Mom, you’re the best, ILYSM).
Anyways, I digress. The point is, I have a high bar for chili and this recipe has met it. I take zero credit, as I’ve combined a few of the favorites I’ve found online from Ambitious Kitchen, The Simple Veganista and Simply Quinoa to create my version that I love, love, love. The greatest part about chili is each time you make, you can try a little modification (maybe add another veggie, maybe adobe instead of green chilis, maybe sub out 1/2 beans for meat, you get the picture) and experience a whole new level of love!
I hope this recipe gives you lots of love and opportunities to share with friends & fam throughout this fall and winter season — enjoy, loves!
Ingredients:
1-2 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
1 medium yellow onion, diced
2 medium carrots, diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
~4oz green chilis (you can also use adobe chilis if you prefer their taste!)
1 teaspoon cumin
1+ tbs chili powder (preference on your taste buds)
1/2 teaspoon turmeric
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
Franks Hot Sauce or Cholula (my favs) to taste *I used ~1/4 cup
Salt & pepper to taste throughout cooking
1 (15 ounce) can fire roasted tomatoes
2 cans roasted tomatoes (chopped or whole depending on your preference)
3 celery stalks chopped
2 bell peppers (I love to use yellow & orange for color variety)
1 large sweet potato, peeled and diced into 1/2 inch cubes
2 (15 ounce) cans black beans, drained and rinsed
2 cups quinoa *You can cook in advance OR add uncooked and allow for a bit more time + add ~1 cup water*
3 cups vegetable broth, plus more to thin if desired (can also use broth of your choice)
toppings of your choice (see below)
**Here’s the beauty in this — don’t like carrots? Leave ‘em out! You can mix and match to suit YOUR most enjoyable vegetables. If you want to add meat, I’d recommend subbing out one can of beans for your ground meat of choice. Also, do you LOVE tomatoes? Great, add another can or two to your version.**
STEPS TO DELICIOUSNESS:
Heat EVOO in pot over medium heat. Once oil is hot, add onion, carrots, celery, garlic, bell peppers and cook until onions are translucent.
Add chilis + spices + hot sauce, mix until aromatic *my fav part
Add sweet potatoes, cans of tomatoes, black beans, quinoa (water if using uncooked), broth - cue Rihanna voice to stir it up, stir it up.
Cover and simmer for 20-30 minutes — note, this is the point you can ALWAYS add more spice or liquid if it feels too thick
Again, cue Rihanna voice to stir it up, stir it up.
Check on levels of el dente for veggies and once cooked through, you’re ready to devour this!
**If you were adding meat, you’d want to sauté meat first once onion has turned translucent. Cook until it starts to change color and then add other veggies to sauté until veggies have that added pop of color. Proceed with the following steps, accordingly and cook until meat is thoroughly cooked through. I am paranoid about raw meat, so I cook that ish for like a loooong time. Consult an expert (not me) if you’re wondering how long that is. Google has got you.*
Topping suggestions include:
Ripe avocado, IMO the best topping
Full fat plan greek yogurt instead of sour cream (extra bonus points for added protein)
More hot sauce, bc why not?
Fresh herb like parsley or cilantro
cheese, just promise not store bought shredded bc that shiz is processed, processed & no bueno. Buy quality cheese and shred it yourself :)
Let me know what you think!
Happy cooking, Loves!
