A few days ago, okay, last week, we had a short stint of “cool” weather. It really put me in the mood for some chili. For some reason, whenever I decide to make chili it ends up being a warm day and it just doesn’t feel right. I’m that person that doesn’t eat soup or chili unless it really is “chili” weather.
But last week it worked in my favor. Quinoa and Roasted Pepper Chili. The most labor-intensive part of this recipe is waiting for the peppers to roast. But it’s totally worth the wait. The blacker the skin of the peppers get the better – it peels off easier that way. I used a little more garlic and cumin than the recipe called for because I love those flavors. You could use any bean you have on hand but the pinto beans were a nice change of pace since I eat more black beans and chickpeas than any other bean.
I served mine with a dollop of Greek yogurt on top – really cooled off the chili. I can do without cheese in my chili but I really love Greek yogurt. I also added a sprinkling of cilantro for some brightness. I find that when an entire meal is cooked for any length of time, a little fresh herb goes a long way.
So…is chili weather here to stay?
This looks lush.