Bean Free Chili with Quinoa

I feel like I should admit something to you...
I hate beans.
This doesn't include green beans. I'm ok with those, but the rest of them are nasty.
I know this isn't what you should hear from someone dedicated to providing you with healthy hypo-friendly recipes, but it's the truth. I don't like the texture, the flavor, the smell, the after effects. I hate them.
Because of this intense hatred, I have never been a big fan of chili. I enjoy chili flavor, but every variety I've ever had was loaded with that grossness. I'm honestly not sure what prompted me to think about Chili when Bree and I started talking about Soup Night for our monthly blogger night but I'm very, very glad I did though. My version starts with ground turkey and ends with quinoa to add that extra oomph of protein beans normally contribute to the classic recipes. I also made a Spicy and Sweet Potato Soup, Bree made an amazing French Onion Soup and also a Tomato Basil Soup. And yes, we will be eating soup for every meal this week. I'm ok with that, because seriously look how delicious this is!



Bean Free Chili with Quinoa
1 cup uncooked quinoa, rinsed
2 cups water
1 pound ground turkey
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 onion, chopped
4 cloves garlic, minced
2 jalapeno peppers, seeded and minced
1 tablespoon chili powder
1 tablespoon ground cumin
1 (28 ounce) can crushed tomatoes
2 green bell pepper, chopped
3 zucchini, chopped
1 tablespoon dried oregano leaves
1 tablespoon dried parsley
salt and pepper to taste
Bring the quinoa and water to a boil over high heat. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer until the quinoa is tender, and the water has been absorbed, about 15 minutes.
Meanwhile, brown the turkey and set aside. Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Stir in onion, garlic, and jalapeno; cook and stir until the onion is translucent. Add chili powder and cumin; cook 1 minute to release the flavor of the spices. Stir in the tomatoes, green bell pepper, zucchini, oregano, and parsley. Season to taste with salt and black pepper. Simmer until the vegetables are tender, about 20 minutes. This made mine very thick so I added about 2 cups of water to thin it out and let that simmer for 5 minutes.
Before serving add the quinoa.

This makes about 10 cup size servings. Each serving is only 186 calories and packs 15 grams of protein!! Plus it only contains 3.3 grams of fat, and of that only .6 is saturated. I could bore you with the rest of the nutritional data like the 4.1 grams of fiber and the 161.8 grams of potassium, but the point is that my version is delicious and healthy and waaaaaay better for you than the classic bean-y versions.

Find more delicious things at Slightly Indulgent Tuesdays.