Hearty Two-Bean and Quinoa Chili
A warming, plant-powered chili packed with kidney beans, black beans, and quinoa. This satisfying bowl delivers complete protein and massive amounts of fiber to keep you full and energized.
Prep
10 min
Cook
25 min
Total
35 min
Makes
4 servings
The feel-good payoff
Why this meal can feel especially good in perimenopause
Think practical wins: steadier energy, comfortable fullness and one less food decision. Your response is personal, so use the prompts below to notice what works for you.
Perimenopause symptoms and relief · Office on Women’s HealthDigestive comfort
A portion that works for you
Fiber and plants can support digestion, but more is not always better overnight. Start with a comfortable portion and build gradually.
Notice: comfort + portion
Steadier energy
Feel fueled, not flattened
A complete meal with protein, carbohydrates and fats is designed to offer more staying power than a quick carb-only fix.
Notice: energy 1–3 hours later
A steadier afternoon
Give your day a solid food foundation
Being properly fed cannot solve a hard day, but a substantial meal can remove hunger and an energy dip from the list of things you are juggling.
Notice: mood + energy later
More staying power
Make the next few hours easier
This meal is built to be more sustaining than a snack-sized stopgap, with enough substance to carry you into the next part of the day.
Notice: energy + fullness later
Setup
Get set up
Choose your servings, gather what you need, then cook along below.
Prep
10 min
Cook
25 min
Total
35 min
How many are you cooking for?
The ingredient amounts update automatically.
Equipment
Large pot
Time saver
Batch and freeze: This chili freezes beautifully for up to 3 months. Portion it into individual containers for easy, pull-out dinners when you're too tired to cook.
Do these three things first
- 1Prep kidney beans (rinsed), black beans (rinsed), cup dry quinoa (rinsed)
- 2Set out all ingredients before cooking
- 3Measure the pantry ingredients before heating the pan
Ingredients
Gather as you go
Ingredients
From Your Pantry
Cook along
Instructions
0 of 6 steps complete
Next: Heat the olive oil in a large…
- 01
Heat the olive oil in a large…
Heat the olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Stir in the chili powder, ground cumin, garlic powder, and onion powder. Toast the spices for 30 seconds until fragrant.
Look for: fragrant
Tap card to mark done - 02
Pour in the crushed tomatoes and the…
Pour in the crushed tomatoes and the vegetable broth (or water). Bring the mixture to a gentle boil.
Tap card to mark done - 03
Stir in the rinsed dry quinoa
Stir in the rinsed dry quinoa, kidney beans, and black beans. Season with salt and a generous pinch of black pepper.
Tap card to mark done - 04
Lower the heat
Lower the heat, cover the pot, and simmer for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the quinoa is tender and cooked through.
Look for: the quinoa is tender and cooked through
Tap card to mark done - 05
Stir in the frozen sweet corn during…
Stir in the frozen sweet corn during the final 3 minutes of cooking just to heat through.
Allow: 3 minutes
Tap card to mark done - 06
Remove from the heat and stir in…
Remove from the heat and stir in the nutritional yeast until it dissolves. Serve warm and top each bowl with pumpkin seeds for extra crunch and healthy fats.
Look for: it dissolves
Tap card to mark done
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