#bxllockdown Day 7

Looking at my weekly menu planning, I realise more and more the amount of carbs we consume. So, I thought perhaps lets change it up a bit and add Quinoa to the menu.

As the new superfood Quinoa packs the highest nutrition of all grains and it is easy to prepare. No pre-prep required. Quinoa is a non-animal protein so it is vegan/vegetarian friendly too. In fact, quinoa can be used for many reasons, weight-loss, allergy control, gluten-intolerance and a vegan/vegetarian diet.

You can find quinoa in most supermarkets and it is reasonably priced. It comes in several varieties such as natural, red and tri-colour. They all cook the same way and all taste delicious. In this recipe I used the natural one but any kind would work.

I have a few recipes I cook with quinoa and I am always looking at new ways of enjoying it so that I can eat more of this carb-free superfood. My kids are big fans too, so when I replace rice with quinoa no-one complains.

My husband and I are both fans of the traditional chili but we never really make it at home. It is something we eat at friends’ homes or at restaurants (the friends recipes are always better). So, it was about time I tried my hand at chili, but I wanted to use quinoa in my recipe. It is a simple “chuck everything in the pot” kind of meal that is full of flavour.

What you need:

• 400gr cubed chicken breast
• 250 gr white button mushrooms, sliced
• 2-3 tbs water
• 500 gr can of red kidney beans
• 2 tbsp of chunky medium-hot salsa – or  – jalapeno salsa (add 3 tbsp if you prefer it really hot)
• 1 cup of quinoa
• 2 tsp dried oregano
• 1.5 tsp ground cumin
• 4 cups/ 1L of chicken or vegetable stock

What you do:

1. In a large pot on add the mushrooms and the water on medium heat, cook for 5-10 minutes
2. Once the mushroom have softened add the chicken, and stir until it is coloured
3. Then add the beans, salsa, oregano and the cumin, mix well
4. Add the quinoa and the stock, combine well, and bring to boil
5. Once it is boiled, cover the pot and cook on low heat for another 20-25 minutes
6. Remove the lid and cook for another 10 minutes to reduce the chili and allow it to thicken

Enjoy!

Calories: Per Serving 210  — Total: 840