This spicy Black Bean Quinoa Chili is healthy, nourishing and balances blood sugar. It’s full of flavour and packed with nourishing vegetables and protein in the form of quinoa and black beans. When you struggle with blood sugar imbalance it’s important to eat mostly slow carbs in plant form and to balance the foods you eat. This recipe is full of slow carbs that release sugar in your bloodstream slowly, such as shallots, tomatoes, zucchini, red peppers and parsley. Quinoa and black beans have a higher glycemic load but balanced with lots of healthy vegetables this dish has a lower glycemic load. It’s all about balancing the foods you eat. This means making sure you combine protein, healthy fats and whole-food fiber-rich, low-starch carbs in every meal you eat. This recipe was inspired by a recipe I found on blood sugar expert Dr Hyman’s website The Blood Sugar Solution. Do you love this recipe? Get free updates by signing up here.

Ingredients

• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 5 shallots, diced
• 2 cloves of garlic, crushed
• 1tbsp chili powder
• ½ tbsp cumin powder
• 1/2 tbsp sweet paprika powder
• 2-3 small dried chilies, crushed
• 1 tsp dried oregano
• 2 cups of red quinoa rinsed
• 4 cups vegetable stock
• 20 baby tomatoes, quartered
• 1 tbsp tomato paste
• 2 small sweet red pointed peppers, seeds removed, then cut in small chunks
• 1 zucchini diced
• 1 can (425gr) black beans
• fresh parsley, chopped finely
• sea salt and freshly ground black pepper 

Instructions

• Rinse quinoa and cook in vegetable stock for 10-15 minutes.
• Heat oil in a medium saucepan. Add shallots and cook on medium heat for 3-4 minutes until soft. Add garlic and cook for 1 more minute.
• Add in tomatoes, tomato paste and the spices.  Cook on medium heat for 5-7 minutes until the tomatoes are soft and have become a thick paste.  
• Add red peppers and zucchini. Cook for 2 minutes.
• Add black beans. Cook for another minute. 
• Mix all ingredients with the quinoa and serve with freshly chopped parsley