Kim’s Vegan 5 Bean Chili
Yields about 6 quarts of thick chunky chili - enough for now and plenty to stock the freezer for later.
3 carrots, chopped
4 celery stalks, chopped
1 medium yellow onion, chopped
2 glugs of EVOO
(1) 28 oz can crushed tomatoes
(1) 28 oz can diced tomatoes
(2) 15 oz cans tomato sauce
(4) 15 oz cans kidney beans
(2) 15 oz cans black beans
(1) 15 oz can pinto beans
(1) 15 oz can chick peas
(1) 15 oz can navy beans
(1) 15 oz can corn
1 cup red quinoa
1 Tbsp + 1 tsp garlic powder
1 Tbsp + 1 tsp ground cumin
1 Tbsp salt
2 tsp chili powder
1 tsp allspice
Crushed red pepper to taste (omit if you don’t like heat, I usually do because I’m feeding little kids, but always add it later into my own individual bowl)
Use a BIG 8 quart stock pot. Sautée the carrots, celery & onion in the EVOO in the bottom of the stock pot. Cook until veggies are soft. Add in all the rest of the ingredients. Simmer until the quinoa is cooked - a curly white germ will emerge from each grain and it will no longer be crunchy. Adjust all spices to taste. I find the primary spices I want to taste in this are the garlic powder, cumin and salt. Too much of the chili powder or allspice and it may end up tasting weird. Eat as-is or top with cashew sour cream, chopped onion, avacado slices & fresh or pickled jalapeños, maybe a squeeze of lime, and/or oyster crackers or Saltines. My hubby also likes it topped with shredded cheddar cheese. Enjoy!
*Note: if you want to use up some dried beans instead of canned beans, here are the dried bean equivalents…
A heaping 1/2 cup of dried beans = one 15-ounce can of beans.
1 1/2 cups of cooked beans, drained = one 15-ounce can of beans.
