I relish a nice cozy bowl of this Spicy Cheesy White Bean Quinoa Chili during these cold fall evenings. The spicy hot sauce in this chili will warm you up and the beans and quinoa will satisfy your hunger. It is packed with nutrition keeping you healthy during these cold months. If you would like it to be less spicy, just reduce the amount of Arbol chilies or omit them altogether.
My mom came for a visit for a few days and we did our normal routine of visiting the local restaurants and exploring the beach areas of Santa Cruz.
I brought her down to the pier to check out a beach glass craft fair and we stopped for lunch at the always delicious Picnic Basket. It was really cool to see all the different ways the various artists use the beach glass in their art. I have always had an affinity toward beach glass; they are like treasures from the ocean.
This week, I attended Camp Joy’s 43 annual wreath sale. It was way more than just wreaths, they had homemade jams, pies, salves, bee’s wax candles, apple cider vinegar, and much more. They served snacks along with homemade apple cider and live music was provided by my friends’ band Sugar by the Pound. I photographed the band, various fruit trees, grazing goats and the surrounding area. It was such a beautiful spot with so many beautiful people!!
This chili is great with a Petite Sirah or a Pinot Noir for a red and a Gewurztraminer, Pinot Gris or a Sauvignon Blanc for a white. Or maybe you prefer an ice-cold beer to balance out the heat. I would try it with a Hefeweizen.
Spicy Cheesy White Bean Quinoa Chili
Ingredients
- 2 Cups White Beans
- 12 Cups Filtered Water
- 1 1/2 Cups Quinoa - recipe below
- 1 1/2 Cups Hot Hot Sauce - recipe below
- 2 Small Red Bell Pepper - roasted - diced
- 1/2 White Onion – diced
- 3 Cloves Garlic – minced
- 2 Tablespoon Extra Virgin Olive Oil
- 1/4 Cup Dry White Wine
- 1 Vegetable Bullion Cube – unsalted
- 2 1/4 Cup Sharp Cheddar Cheese - shredded
- 1/2 Cup Corn - fresh or frozen
- 1 Tablespoon Sea Salt to taste
Quinoa
- 1/2 Cup Quinoa
- 1 Cup Filtered Water
- 1/4 Teaspoon Sea Salt
Hot Sauce
- 4 Dried Ancho Chiles - *Terra Dolce is a great brand for organic chile peppers
- 7 Dried Arbol Chiles
- 1/4 White Onion
- 1 Cloves Garlic
- 1/4 Cup White Vinegar
- 1 1/2 Cups Filtered Water
- 1 Teaspoon Sea Salt
Garnish Options
- Tortilla Chips
- Radishes
- Cilantro
- Serrano Chilies
Instructions
Beans
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Add the onions to a 5 1/2 quart pot with the olive oil and saute on medium-low heat for 5 minutes.
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Add the garlic and continue cooking for 5 – 7 more minutes until the garlic starts to brown.
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Add the wine and bouillon cubes, mash the bouillon, cook until wine is reduced and syrupy.
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Sort through the beans to remove any rocks and rinse. Add the beans to the onions and add 12 cups of water. Bring to a boil and then cover and turn to medium-low heat for 1 1/2 - 2 hours or until soft.
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While the beans are cooking make the quinoa.
Quinoa
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In a small sauce pan, add the quinoa, water and salt.
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Bring to a boil, cover and turn to medium-low then simmer for 15 minutes. (I recommend using a timer)
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Then let sit with the lid on for 5 more minutes.
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While the quinoa is cooking start making the hot sauce.
Hot sauce
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In a medium pot, add the chilies and onion then cover with filtered water.
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Bring to a boil then remove from heat and let sit 10 more minutes.
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Remove the seeds and stems from the dried peppers then put peppers, onion, garlic, vinegar and salt in a food processor or blender. Puree.
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Strain through a fine-mesh colander over a bowl and press it through with a rubber spatula. Scrape the outside of the colander to get all the sauce you can. Stir in the water and set aside.
Roasted Peppers
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Roast the peppers on the stovetop on medium-high heat. A gas stove works the best but it will work fine on an electric stove.
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Char the peppers on all sides turning with a pair of tongs.
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When good and charred, steam them for 10 minutes in a covered dish or a paper bag rolled shut to hold in the steam.
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Take a paper towel and rub off the char. It’s ok to leave a little of the char.
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Slice in half and remove the seeds and stems.
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Dice and set aside.
The rest
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When the beans are completely cooked add the hot sauce, quinoa, roasted peppers and slowly add the cheese.
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When the cheese is melted add the corn and cook for a few more minutes.
Health benefits:
White Beans are a super rich source of dietary fiber, which is good for the prevention of constipation, also helps digestive disorders like irritable bowel syndrome and diverticulosis. They are great for heart health because of their significant amounts of folate (support of red blood cell formation, one cup of the cooked beans provides 63.7% of the recommended daily intake for folate) and magnesium (lowers blood pressure). They are good for helping insulin resistance, hypoglycemia or diabetes, and help you balance blood sugar levels while providing steady energy.
Quinoa is a superfood that is extremely nutrient-rich and it is a complete protein source and high in fiber, which helps digestion heart health. It contains more antioxidants, vitamins and nutrients than any other grain. Unlike most grains, quinoa has a significant amount of gamma-tocopherol of the vitamin E family, which helps some inflammatory issues. It is a good source of magnesium (helps metabolism, cardiovascular, and blood vessel function, which is helpful for migraine headaches). Quinoa contains the antioxidant flavonoids quercetin and kaempferol even more than in cranberries. It is helpful in the regulation of blood sugar and also reduces your chances of developing type 2 diabetes.
Bell Peppers are matured green bell peppers and have more nutrition as they mature. They are super high in vitamin A which helps to support healthy eyesight, especially night vision and are extremely high in vitamin C, so much so they have twice as much as an orange which makes it really good for the skin. Red peppers are one of the highest veggies in lycopene and have been successfully tested in the prevention of many cancers. They have a good source of the antioxidant mineral manganese and B-complex and vitamin E. They help reduce ‘bad’ cholesterol, helps control diabetes and helps reduce pain. They are also a good source of fiber, folate, vitamin K, molybdenum and manganese.
