1 onion, sweet or yellow, diced
3 cloves of garlic, minced
2 poblano peppers, diced
2 bell peppers, diced (any color)
1 can great northern beans (15 oz) (see note 2)
1 can navy beans (15 oz) (see note 2)
1 can pinto beans (15 oz) (see note 2)
1 can diced green chilies (optional)
6 cups vegetable broth
1/3 cup dry quinoa (or up to 1 cup) (see note 1)
1 1/4 cup salsa verde (optional)
3/4 cup frozen corn (optional) (see note 3)
Heat a large saucepan or soup pot over medium heat. Add some oil or non-stick spray. Once the pan is hot, add the diced onions. Saute for about 5 minutes, until the onions become slightly translucent. Stir in the minced garlic. Saute for another 5 minutes, until the onions and garlic become fragrant and slightly browned. Add the diced peppers to the pot. Stir everything together. Sautee for 5 minutes, until peppers start to soften.
Add the rest of the ingredients to the pot. Stir until everything is nicely combined. Cover the pot and simmer over low for about 15 minutes, until the quinoa is cooked through. Turn off the heat, and allow to sit, covered, for another 5-10 minutes. This will let the quinoa soak up some more broth and get fluffy.
Notes
Note 1: I usually make this with 1 cup of quinoa, for more of a thick stew, but you can make it with less if you prefer a thinner soup.
Note 2: The beans listed here are just a recommendation. I've also used light red kidney beans, cannellini beans, or black-eyed peas.
Note 3: The corn is optional, though the photo shown here is with corn. I usually don't add it.
Adapted from
http://recipes88.com/p/quinoa-chili-verde-noming-thru-life