Reshaping a classic with Quorn

I first discovered quorn in an embarrassing episode in the UK when my good friend and I returned our vegetarian pastas due to the meaty taste and texture of the sauce. We were informed that we were in fact served quorn, a fungi based protein not actually meat. Woops…

Quorn was introduced to Australia June 2010 and now this mysterious mushroom based mince is slowly being taken up by retailers namely Coles and Woolworths. Not only does quorn help beef up meals, it is high in protein, high in fibre, low in salt and low in carbohydrates. Plus there is evidence by the British Nutrition Foundation that it can help you feel fuller for longer.

Interestingly the key ingredient in quorn, mycoprotein was discovered around 40 years ago due to increasing concerns over whether we would be able to feed such a fast growing population. The result was quorn; a healthier, cheaper and vegetarian friendly option to meat. And while we don’t get the warm fuzzy feeling of eating something that has been produced naturally from the ground, it is actually free of too many additives and is something nice to spice up a vegetarian meal.

So if you are vegetarian and haven’t eaten the meat classic ‘Chilli Con Carne’ in a while or even if you are a meat eater looking for a cheaper, healthier alternative – here is my Chilli Con Quorn!

Chilli con Quorn
(Preparation time: 10 minutes, cooking time: 15 minutes)

Ingredients
1 onion, finely chopped
1 garlic clove, finely chopped
2 medium sized carrots, diced
1 ½ tsp chilli powder
½ tsp ground cumin
½ tsp ground cinnamon
350g quorn mince
2 cans of tomatoes (chopped or whole)
1 can of kidney beans, rinsed and drained
2 tablespoons of tomato paste
2 tsps dried oregano
1 large handful coriander, roughly chopped

Serve with rice, guacamole, corn chips, cheese and/or jacket potatoes

Method
Heat a large lug of oil in a heavy based pan and sauté the onions, garlic and carrot for 3-4 minutes. Add the chilli powder, cumin and cinnamon and stir, covering the mixture with all the spices. Stir in the quorn and cook for another minute.

Add the tomatoes, kidney beans, tomato paste, oregano and coriander and stir. Place the lid on the pan and gently simmer for 10 minutes. Taste and season with salt and pepper.

For a full compliment of flavours serve with brown rice, guacamole, corn chips, grated cheese and enjoy!