If you’re in the mood for a different style of chili sure to satisfy, this is it! I have combined traditional chili flavors with Thai flavors. The coconut milk blends well with the tomatoes and spices. You can serve it as an entrée or as an appetizer over tortilla chips.

Ingredients

1 (28-ounce) can crushed tomatoes
1 (13–14-ounce) can coconut milk
3 tablespoons liquid aminos or soy sauce
2 teaspoons toasted sesame oil
3–4 cloves fresh garlic
1 teaspoon chopped fresh ginger
1–2 tablespoons chili powder
1–2 teaspoons curry powder
¼ cup quinoa, rinsed
4 cups finely chopped kale (or other leafy green)
2 (15-ounce) cans black beans, rinsed and drained
1 (15-ounce) can chickpeas, rinsed and drained
1½ cups fresh (or frozen) corn
2 teaspoons coconut sugar or other unrefined sweetener (optional)

Add the first eight ingredients (tomatoes, coconut milk, liquid aminos, sesame oil, garlic, ginger, chili powder, and curry powder) to a blender. Blend until mixture is smooth. Transfer to a medium-size pot. Add quinoa and cook on medium–high heat for about 15–20 minutes. Add chopped kale and continue to cook for another 5–10 minutes until kale becomes tender. Add beans, corn and coconut sugar (if using) and cook for several minutes to allow the flavors to mingle. Serve warm or hot. Goes great with brown rice, basmati rice, millet or cornbread. Serves 6–8.

Health Benefits of Black Beans

• They are very high in fiber, folate, protein, and antioxidants, along with numerous other vitamins and minerals. Black beans make a complete protein when paired with brown rice, which is often why they are so commonly included in a vegetarian diet.
• Digestive Tract Benefits
  The high quantity of both protein and fiber in black beans help to move food through the stomach to the large intestine at a healthier pace. This keeps any one part of the digestive tract from having to work too hard and supports the ideal balance of chemicals and populations of microorganisms required for a healthy digestive system.
• Blood Sugar Regulation
  The steady movement of protein and fiber through the digestive system allows for a measured breakdown of food into its component parts. This even breakdown of food helps to curtail extremes regarding simple sugar uptake from the digestive tract. The quantity of fiber and protein in black beans helps avoid extremes.
• Cardiovascular Health
  Black beans are abundant in soluble fiber, which is specifically the type of fiber that has been found very helpful in lowering blood cholesterol levels. Lowered risks of coronary heart disease and heart attack have both been associated with increased consumption of soluble fiber, particularly from legumes. Black beans also contain a wide variety of both antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties, which combat cardiovascular disease. Antioxidant and anti-inflammatory protection is particularly important for the cardiovascular system. Black beans are also high in folate and magnesium, both nutrients highly associated with preservation of cardiovascular health, and the antioxidant minerals zinc and manganese.
• Cancer Prevention
  Considering that black beans contain at least 8 different flavonoids with enormous antioxidant potential, and their high content of phytochemicals, it’s hardly surprising that studies have connected black bean consumption with reduced risk of certain cancers.
• Nervous System Health
  Folate, or vitamin B6, is particularly abundant in black beans. The nervous system relies on folate to produce the amino acids it needs to function. For pregnant women a deficiency in folate can cause the improper development of the fetus’s brain and spinal cord. The high iron content of black beans is also particularly beneficial to pregnant women.
• Rich in Molybdenum
  Black beans are an extremely rich source of the trace mineral molybdenum. Molybdenum serves the useful purpose of breaking down and detoxifying sulfites found in foods like salads and wines. Many people are sensitive to sulfites, and may they cause rapid heartbeat, headache or disorientation when consumed.