• 1lb dry navy beans or 3 4 cans, drained • 1 onion, diced • 1 jalapeño, diced small (deseed if desired) • 1 poblano pepper, seeded and diced small • 1 13.66 oz can of coconut milk • 1 14.5 oz can of diced tomatoes in juice • 1 14.75 oz can of cream style corn • 1 ½ tsp salt • 2 tsp cumin • 1 tsp smoked paprika • 6 cloves 1 head of garlic, peeled, crushed, and minced • ? ¼ cup cilantro, chopped Instructions: Soak the beans for 6 8 hours or overnight. (for alternative options, see notes.) Drain, rinse, and transfer to crockpot. Add 1 Tbsp of cumin and 1 Tbsp salt; this is in addition to the salt in the ingredients above and is only needed when cooking beans from dry. Cook on high for 2 hours or on low for 4 hours until beans are tender. When beans are tender, drain and return to the crockpot. Dry sauté onions in a pan on the stove until fragrant and translucent. Add diced jalapeño and poblano peppers, and continue dry sautéing for 1 2 minutes until the peppers are glistening. Transfer the onion and pepper mixture to the crockpot. Add all ingredients except garlic and cilantro to the crockpot and cook on low for two hours or set to warm for longer cook times. Note: Raw garlic is best for the immune system and adds a nice, sharp flavor to the chili. However, if you prefer or can’t have raw garlic, you can add the garlic to the crockpot with the main ingredients. When cooking is done, add chopped cilantro and raw garlic (if you choose raw vs cooked) and stir. Serve. Notes: This can be made on the stovetop instead of the crockpot for a quick meal, but the flavors meld and enhance with the slow cooker method, making it our favorite way to eat it. If using canned beans for a quicker option, substitute with 3 4 cans of beans, drained, depending on how hearty you would like it. I like to use dry beans because they are cheaper, and I don’t have to worry about additives in the commercial canning process. Simple Quinoa Salad • ½ cup dry, uncooked quinoa • ½ cup cucumber, diced • ½ cup tomato, diced • 3 green onions, sliced • 1 lime, juiced • ¼ tsp salt + more to taste Instructions: Rinse ½ cup of quinoa with cool water until water comes out clear. In a small saucepan, bring 1 cup of water to a boil and add quinoa and ¼ tsp of salt to the boiling water. Reduce the heat to low, cover, and cook for 12 15 minutes until the grain is translucent and the germ has spiraled out from each grain. Set aside to cool. Note: You can rinse with cold water to expedite the cooling process, but be sure to drain it well. Dice cucumber, tomato, and chop green onions. Add them to the cooled quinoa. Add the juice of one lime and stir the salad. Salt to taste.
