Black Bean & Quinoa Chili Starter (for Beef)
To Prepare Black Bean Quinoa Chili: In soup pot, brown ½ pound of ground beef and drain excess liquid. Remove wrapper on beef bouillon cube and add it, plus all remaining ingredients in jar to soup pot. Pour in five cups of water and can of tomato sauce and bring to a boil over high heat, reduce heat to low, and simmer until the beans are tender and the soup is thick, about 90 minutes, adding more water as necessary to soften the beans and maintain desired. Serves 4.
Remove noodle “nest” from jar and set aside. Remove wrapper on chicken bouillon cube it to pot, along with remaining contents of jar, and 4 cups of water. Bring to boil over high heat, reduce heat to low and simmer for 10 minutes. Add 4-ounces of shredded or cubed cooked chicken and dry rice noodle “nests” to soup and simmer for an additional 3 minutes, stirring to loosen noodles up. Serve with a lemon wedge, if desired. Serves 2.