Veggie Chili for the cold days of Monterey!

I am terrible sorry that it's 98-115 degrees back home, but to tell you the truth it's always a bit chilly here in our lovely coastal town of Monterey, CA which is why we get to eat chili year round! It's nomnominess is so versatile I could write out 7 recipes now and probably not stop there however today I am feeling a quick and easy meal with some good ole sweet corn bread :) see it even made you smile.

Ingredients for 6 servings (leftovers are best yummy!)
1 medium onion,chop to your preference
4 gloves of garlic, pressed or minced
2 medium carrots or 4 small carrots, chopped to preference (we just slice them or dice them)
2-4 medium tomatoes depending on how much you like tomatoes
30 oz bag of precooked black beans (lower sodium if you cook them right) or 2 15oz cans of organic low     sodium black beans, drained and rinsed
A pinch of cayenne pepper, chili powder, or chili seasoning (*most seasonings are sodium venus fly traps so reading labels iS KEY!) I use the cayenne pepper and chili powder together and a dash of smoked paprika
1 tbsp fresh or freeze dried organic parsley, chopped

Sauté onions and garlic in 1 tbsp of EVOO or Grapeseed Oil on medium heat just until you can smell the garlic. Then add carrots, tomatoes, beans, parsley, and then season with a few pinches of spices. Cook on medium for 15-25 minutes until carrots are tender and EAT!

THIS simple recipe is super quick and chunky and can be eaten with cornbread, on rustic hearty bread or on top of Quinoa or a Potato, Idaho or Sweet!! YUM!


Health facts of Quinoa via Whole Foods: Not only is quinoa high in protein, but the protein it supplies is complete protein, meaning that it includes all nine essential amino acids. Not only is quinoa's amino acid profile well balanced, making it a good choice for vegans concerned about adequate protein intake, but quinoa is especially well-endowed with the amino acid lysine, which is essential for tissue growth and repair. In addition to protein, quinoa features a host of other health-building nutrients. Because quinoa is a very good source of manganese as well as a good source of magnesium, iron, copper and phosphorus, this "grain" may be especially valuable for persons with migraine headaches, diabetes and atherosclerosis.