Pumpkin-Quinoa Chili

I went overboard this past Fall and bought 6 different gourds at the pumpkin patch. My reasoning at the time? I wanted to sample each of the different pumpkin puree's to see which one would make the best pumpkin pie. A couple of our favorites were the white pumpkin, kobocha squash, and sugar pie. What turned out to be the best puree was when we mixed a bunch of them together. 

Getting off topic; Did you know Libby's canned pumpkin is actually a mix of different squashes with pumpkin? Quoting an article I found about it "Some manufacturers make "pumpkin" puree from one or more kinds of winter squashes such as butternut, Hubbard, and Boston Marrow, which can be less stringy and richer in sweetness and color." Now you know!

 

Needless to say, I have a lot of puree in the freezer, and am always looking for recipes with pumpkin in it, so I can have my freezer space back. This recipe for Pumpkin-Quinoa Chili piked my interest. Never had a chili with pumpkin in it, so I had to give it a try. It was a big hit for dinner last night! It's been a little cold the last couple of days, so it was nice to have a big bowl of comforting, warm soup for dinner. Hope you and your family enjoy it too!

This is what our Vegan meal plan looked like Day 3:

Breakfast: Blueberry smoothie--almond milk, frozen blueberries and bananas, hint of stevia. Hot herbal tea (my favorite is Red Rocks  with a hint of honey and soy milk), and a Oatmeal-Cranberry Muffin --used dried cranberries instead of raisins.

Snack:  A couple handfuls of Roasted Almonds with dried cranberries.

Lunch: Leftover brown rice, sliced portobello mushrooms, roasted bell pepper, garbonzo beans, and tomatillo salsa.

Dinner: Pumpkin-Quinoa Chili with steamed green beans.

Happy Healthy Eating!! 

Enjoy!

**This recipe is adapted from Manifest Vegan.

 

Chili Recipe
 Makes: 8 servings Prep: 15 minutes  Cooking Time: 30 minutes

(Printable Recipe)

1 large onion, diced
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 TB olive oil
1 tsp salt
3 tsp chili powder
2 tsp cumin powder
1 tsp smoked paprika
1/4 tsp chipotle chili powder
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/8 tsp nutmeg
1 cup carrot, shredded
4 cups pumpkin puree (or 2 15oz cans)
4 cups  vegetable broth or (1) 32oz container
 2 cups white or pinto beans, or 1 can
1/2 cup coconut milk (soy or almond work too)
1 1/2 cups quinoa, cooked
1 red bell pepper, roasted, sliced and diced
1/2 cup green onions, chopped
cilantro, chopped to sprinkle over top  
           
1. Cook onion through salt in a large pot over medium-high heat, about 5 minutes, or until tender. 

2. Add all the spices through vegetable broth. Bring to a boil, and simmer over medium heat for 10 minutes. 
3. Stir in beans through roasted bell pepper and simmer for 5 more minutes, or until heated through. Fold in scallions and top each bowl with cilantro. 

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Who likes to change it up?

~Add corn and change beans to black beans.

~Use a vegan sour cream or vegan cheese. 
~A couple shakes of tobasco sauce would be a nice addition.
    

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