Vegan Chili with Quinoa

Chilli is one of those staple meals that everybody can enjoy on a cold day. It really is a delicious comfort food that warms you right up. That being said, it is also just as enjoyable in the middle of summer, because chili is delicious, but also because it is easy to prepare, which means less time sweating over the stove. 
I recently had a friend share a recipe for vegetarian chilli that included quinoa. This really piqued my interest because I had never thought to include quinoa in chilli – but it makes sense! The quinoa adds a light nutty flavor, and also contributes to the texture of the chilli.
The Home Baked Vegan’s Chilli with Quinoa is:
Vegan (as always, this means this dish is made without the use of any animal products)
Soy Free 
Gluten Free
Delicious
Filling
Rich in Protein and Iron
Spicy (Test the flavor as you go, and feel free to add a little extra chili powder if you want to kick the heat up a notch). 
This recipe makes a large pot full of chilli, which deems this great as a potluck dish; but if you aren’t feeding a small army of people, then I suggest you make some room in your freezer.
Here is the Home Baked Vegan’s recipe for Vegan Chilli with Quinoa:
Ingredients:
1 Tbsp Olive Oil
4 Garlic Cloves, finely minced
1 Onion, diced
1 JalapeƱo, minced
3 Tomatoes, diced
2 Tsp Oregano
1 tsp Ground Cumin
2 Tbsp Smoked Paprika
1 Tbsp Hot Chili Powder
1 1/2 Cups Navy Beans, cooked or canned
1 1/2 Cups White Kidney Beans, cooked or canned
1 1/2 Cups Red Kidney Beans, cooked or canned
1 1/2 Cups Fava Beans, cooked or canned
1 Cup Quinoa
1 Cup Red Lentils, dried
2 1/2 Cups Vegetable Stock
2 Cups Water
Salt and Pepper to taste
Method:
Heat the olive oil in a large pot, over medium high heat.

Sautee the onions, garlic, and jalepeno for 3 – 5 minutes.

Stir in the oregano, cumin, paprika, chilli powder, and tomatoes.

Add remaining ingredients and bring to a boil while stirring occasionally to make sure nothing sticks to the bottom of the pot.

Cover the pot with a lid (leave it ajar so it doesn’t boil over) and reduce to a simmer.

Stir occasionally, and let the pot simmer for 30 minutes.

Remove from heat and serve with your favorite toppings.

Enjoy!