Dutch Oven Eggplant Chili
(Preliminary)

You will notice I love my beans. This hearty and filling dish is loaded with protean, fiber and taste.

1 lb. Beans assorted (Pinto, Black, Kidney etc.) soaked and cooked as directed
(Add a piece of Kombu in the cooking pot). Reserve cooking liquid.
1/2 lb. Yellow onions
1 lb. Button mushrooms sliced
1 Medium bell pepper diced
1 Medium eggplant diced
1 lb. Kale
3-4 Garlic buds chopped
1-2 Jalapeño peppers sliced thin (with seeds and membrane if hot desired)
¼ lb. Shitake mushrooms (thin slices)
½ C. quinoa (red preferred)
2 T. bouillon base
1 oz. Bitter chocolate
2 lb. diced tomatoes or canned
1-2 C Water (use reserved bean cooking water)
3 T. Chili powder
3 T. Cumin ground
2 T. Chipotle powder
Salt and pepper to taste
3 T. Balsamic vinegar

Pre-heat oven.

Cook the onions in hot Dutch oven (no oil needed if pre-heated), when translucent add in the button mushrooms. After they sizzle add in the bouillon base. Now add in peppers (bell and Jalapeno) cooking until starting to soften (maybe 10 minutes). Add spices. Add in the Shitakes, garlic and vinegar. Toss in the beans tomatoes and kale. Add sufficient reserved water to accommodated thickening of quinoa and stir in dry quinoa. Simmer for about ten minutes.

Place in oven and check in 45 minutes. Adjust thickness with additional liquid. Taste test and modify as desired. Cook perhaps ten more minutes.

Non-vegan/vegetarians: add in a little chicken and top with grated cheese or sour cream. Offer toppings of chopped onions, cilantro and salsa.