Quinoa Chili-Stuffed Peppers

Sat, Oct 5, 2013

Appetizers, Chicken & Turkey, Disguising Healthy Foods, Main Dishes, Search by Course

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I know I’ve been on a soup kick lately but this is actually a meal we enjoyed this past spring and it now seems perfect for the chilly temps of fall. Mix your favorite chili (some of our family favorites are Chili con Carne and leftover BBQ Chicken Chili) with some quinoa and stuff the mixture in Anaheim, Pasilla or other chile peppers for a colorful and flavorful appetizer or main course. This is an easy way to load up on antioxidants and other nutrients, and it’s also an easy way to turn leftover chili into an exciting new meal.

Quinoa Chili-Stuffed Peppers

Author: Itsy Bitsy Foodies

Recipe type: Appetizer

Prep time: 30 mins

Cook time: 1 hour

Total time: 1 hour 30 mins

Serves: 4+

Mix your favorite chili with quinoa and stuff it into chile peppers for a colorful and flavorful meal.

Ingredients

Quinoa, cooked according to the package instructions
Anaheim peppers, cut in halves
Shredded cheese or feta cheese

Chili con Carne

1 – 1.25 pounds of ground turkey, chicken or beef
¼ tsp salt
¼ tsp black pepper
½ tsp garlic powder
¼ tsp cumin
¼ tsp oregano
¼ tsp chili powder
1 small yellow onion, chopped
4 garlic cloves, minced
1 pasilla pepper, chopped
1-2 jalapeño or serrano peppers, chopped
1 15-ounce can of pinto beans, drained and rinsed
1 15-ounce can of black beans, drained and rinsed
4 Tbsp tomato paste
3 cups low-sodium chicken broth
½ cup jalapeño chicken stock, optional
1 Tbsp chili powder (ideally a mix of chiles such as ancho and chile de arbol)
½ tsp cumin
½ tsp salt
¼ tsp black pepper
¼ tsp cayenne pepper
¼ tsp paprika

Instructions

Coat the bottom of a pan with oil and heat at medium-high.
Brown the meat with the spices (1/4 tsp salt – ¼ tsp chili powder).
The meat can still be raw in the center because it will continue to cook as the chili simmers.
Lightly coat a large pot with oil and cook the onion, garlic and peppers over medium heat until they are translucent.
Add the browned meat and the remaining ingredients to the pot.
Let the chili simmer for thirty minutes to an hour (or longer), continuing to season it to taste once the meat is fully cooked.
Top the chili with grated cheese, chopped onions, chopped tomatoes, shredded cilantro and/or light sour cream.
Slow-Cooker Version
Add the browned meat and the rest of the ingredients to the slow-cooker.
Let it cook for several hours
Mix some quinoa into your chili and stuff it in Anaheim pepper halves (or a different variety of pepper).
Top the mixture with shredded cheese and cook at 350 to allow the cheese to melt and the peppers to become tender (without losing their shape).