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one plain bowl of thick red chili with whole black beans, small sweet potato cubes and visible quinoa grains, topped with one small spoonful of white yogurt and no cheese, chips or garnish
Melissa Hart

Crockpot Black Bean Quinoa Chili

Quinoa turns a black bean chili into a thicker, grain-studded dinner without ground meat; add it after the sweet potatoes have softened most of the way, since an all-day cook would make the tiny grains disappear. Fire-roasted tomatoes and chipotle keep the flavor smoky. Let the finished chili stand briefly before portioning, because quinoa keeps absorbing liquid even after the cooker is switched off. Estimated calories: about 350 per serving, including everything listed.
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 7 hours
Total Time 7 hours 20 minutes
Servings: 6
Ingredients Method

Ingredients
  

  • 2 cans 15 oz each no-salt-added black beans, drained and rinsed
  • 1 lb sweet potatoes peeled and cut into 1/2-inch cubes
  • 1 can 28 oz no-salt-added fire-roasted crushed tomatoes
  • 1 medium yellow onion diced
  • 1 red bell pepper diced
  • 2 cups low-sodium vegetable broth
  • 3/4 cup dry quinoa rinsed
  • 1 tbsp chili powder
  • 1 tsp ground cumin
  • 1 tsp minced chipotle pepper in adobo
  • 3/4 tsp fine salt
  • 1 tbsp lime juice
  • 6 tbsp plain nonfat Greek yogurt

Method
 

  1. Combine beans, sweet potatoes, tomatoes, onion, bell pepper, broth, chili powder, cumin, chipotle and salt in a 6-quart slow cooker.
  2. Cover and cook on low for 5 1/2 to 6 hours until sweet potatoes are nearly tender.
  3. Stir in rinsed quinoa, cover and cook on high for 45 to 60 minutes until grains are tender and their small pale rings have opened.
  4. Turn off the cooker and stir in lime juice. Let stand for 10 minutes to finish thickening.
  5. Stir from the bottom to distribute the quinoa and beans evenly.
  6. Divide among 6 bowls and top each with 1 tablespoon yogurt.