Even with record-high temperatures for November, I can't help myself when it comes to Fall and Pumpkin everything! It USUALLY cools off here in Florida by the end of October / early November and I love making "cold-weather" crockpot meals and hearty soups, but "cold-weather" recipes are not ideal with this 80-90-degree weather we've been having lately. Then I saw a recipe for Pumpkin Chili and I couldn't resist - I had to try to modify this recipe into an epic "Meal Makeover" recipe and I am SO excited to finally be able to share my re-vamped Pumpkin Chili with you!!
Meal Makeover: Pumpkin Quinoa Chili (Gluten-Free and Vegan)
Up close and personal with this hearty Pumpkin Quinoa Chili
Now I know what you may be thinking - "chili is chili, what's so special about this one?"... but trust me when I say this chili is not your average chili and it is packed with nutrients, low in fat, completely gluten-free and vegan, and full of pumpkin - flavor! Not to mention it is carnivore-approved and takes about 10 minutes of prep work!
Ingredients: (serves 8, serving size - about 2 cups)
- 28-oz can No Salt Added Diced Tomatoes (Hunt's)
- 14-oz jar of Chunky Salsa (Pace, Mild)
- 1 Cup dry Quinoa (pre-rinsed, Ancient Harvest)
- 1 can Pure Pumpkin Puree (Libby's)
- 1 package meatless crumbles (Quorn or Beyond Meat - soy-free, gluten-free, & vegan)
- 2 cups cubed carrots (Publix Sliced Carrots)
- 2 cups water (or low-sodium vegetable stock)
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1 tsp ground nutmeg
- 1 tsp Allspice
- 1 tsp ground cumin
- 1 tsp chili powder
- 1 tsp red chili flakes
Instructions:
- Line a large crockpot with crockpot liner (for easy cleaning!) and place all ingredients into the crockpot in the order in which they are listed.
- Mix ingredients well with a large spoon and set on "LOW" for 4-6 hours.
- That's it! Let the crockpot do all the work and give it a good stir every so often.
Not only is this Pumpkin Quinoa Chili easy to make, it is full of flavor and nutrients! Just look at the nutrition facts for 1 serving of chili (about 2 cups), which provides nearly 138% of your daily Vitamin A requirements, 350 mg Potassium, 9-10 g fiber, and 11g protein!
I made this crockpot meal on Sunday afternoon and it filled my whole house with amazing Pumpkin aroma. I could hardly wait the 5 hours of cooking to try my masterpiece and boy, was I pleasantly surprised - it was WAY better than I expected and was the perfect combination of sweet Pumpkin and spicy chili!
I served the Pumpkin Quinoa Chili for my 2nd Wedding Anniversary dinner with my husband on Monday night of this week and he was a huge fan at first bite! It was so nice to be able to come home from a long day at Clinical and have dinner already prepared so we could relax and enjoy celebrating!
Such a wonderful and relaxing Anniversary dinner at home with my hubby!
I ate the rest of the chili over the next few days for lunch at Clinical and it tasted even better as leftovers! The chili will last 5-7 days in the refrigerator or up to 6 months in the freezer. It's the perfect Fall-time crockpot recipe the whole family will love. Please do yourself a favor and make this Pumpkin Quinoa Chili ASAP!