Quinoa, Sweet Potato, and Zucchini Soup. Easy, Filling, and Delicious! (And GF and Vegan!)

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Friends, today I’d like to share a tasty, easy, and hearty soup that’s been a a hit in my house. It’s easily made with whatever veggies you have a round the house and the quinoa makes it a great source of protein. Also, sweet potatoes are magical. Let’s just acknowledge that now.IMG_9223IMG_9229

What you need:

1 large onion, chopped

1-2 large carrots, chopped

1 large or 2 small sweet potatoes, chopped

4 cloves of garlic, chopped

1 inch piece of beautiful, gorgeous fresh ginger chopped

3 Tbsp Olive oil

1.5 cups quinoa

3 cups spinach, kale, chard, or whatever green you have on hand, cut into bite-sized pieces

1 large zucchini, chopped

1 can diced tomatoes (I used a 15 oz can)

8 cups of water or low-sodium veggie broth

1 Tbsp cumin

1 tsp thyme

A dash of paprika to taste is also luscious in here

salt and pepper to taste.IMG_9222What to do:

Put the olive oil, onion, garlic, ginger, carrot and sweet potato in a large soup pot on medium heat and sautee until soft and slightly brown. Once browned, add cumin and tomatoes. Stir for 1-2 minutes, then add water and bring to a boil.

Once the water is boiling, add the quinoa, cover and let cook for about 30 minutes until the quinoa is ready. Reduce heat and add the zucchini and let the pot simmer for a few minutes. Add greens and your salt and pepper just prior to serving. IMG_9219

This soup keeps very well in the fridge, but just remember that the quinoa will soak up some of the water during storage. I just add a little water right before reheating to keep it good and brothy. Eat up and enjoy! 🙂

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Stuffed Pepper Delight

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I’ve been staring at one ugly buddy in my fridge for the past 5 days, wondering what to do with it. His name is celeriac, and I keep hearing how awesome he is, but I didn’t really know how to make it work. Thanks to an article from NPR, today I got a spark of inspiration. Peppers, celeriac, some nice, fresh cilantro….yes, oh yes, the peppers will be stuffed.

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What else did I have on hand, you ask? Pinto beans, quoinoa, avocado, some manchego cheese, and beautiful, beautiful braising greens from Full Circle Farms.  These peppers at least got to be eaten knowing they brought ridiculous deliciousness to my belly.

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What you need: Serves 2

2 red peppers

grapeseed oil

1 celeriac (celery root) out knobs removed and chopped

1 avocado

1 cup of pinto beans (soaked and cooked, or use canned if you’re in a hurry)

Handful of fresh cilantro, chopped roughly

1 cup quinoa, dry

2 cups of H2O

1/4 red onion (I cooked it into the quinoa)

A  small amount of cheese, grated (omit if you’re doing this vegan style)

2 cups of greens (mustard greens, kale, chard, collards, spinach etc)

Chicaoji sauce – raw cacao, chipotle, goji berries, magic

Goat yogurt  (omit if you’re going vegan)

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First prepare the quinoa by placing chopped onion in a pot, and saute with grapeseed or coconut oil until softened and slightly brown. Add two cups of water, and  bring to boil. Add quinoa and cilantro, reduce heat, and cook until done (about 20 min). Set aside.

Turn the oven on to 450 degrees. Add chopped celeriac to bowl and toss with grapseed oil, sea salt, and pepper. Spread onto baking sheet, and bake until soft and slightly brown (about 35 min).

Saute the greens over medium-high heat with 1 tbsp of grapseed oil a handful of water, a few chili flakes if you like (I do), sea salt and pepper, along with a good squirt of lemon or lime.

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When all that’s done, mix quinoa, beans, celeriac, greens, and chicaoji sauce in a bowl with a few more squirts of lemon or lime. Slice your peppers in half and place in a baking dish. Fill peppers with stuffing and add a 4 tablespoons of water to the bottom of the dish.

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Bake at 450 degrees for about 15 minutes, until peppers are slightly soft. Top with avocado, goat yogurt, and serve!

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