Quinoa Soup That Rocks Your Boat!!!

Yes, that's the name of the soup. It really does "rock your boat" too!! I am new to Quinoa ( keen-wa). It's the Most nutritious grain, high in fiber and protein.


Quinoa Soup That Rocks Your Boat
· 2/3 cup quinoa
· 2 cups water
· 2 tbsp olive oil
· 1 yellow onion, chopped
· 1 carrot, julienned
· 1 leek, white part cut in half, rinsed and cut
· 2 cloves garlic, minced
· ½ - 1 red chili pepper
· 1 can (400gr/15oz) crushed tomatoes
· 4 cups vegetable stock (or 4 cups water + 2 stock cubes)
· salt and pepper to taste
For garnish:
· 1/3 cup finely chopped parsley
· 2 tbsp grated lemon peel
· Green part of leek, finely chopped
Variations: (Add these to the soup, or use instead of something else. Don't want carrot? Or just feel like adding somethign else to the soup? These are great.)
· 1 big handful spinach leaves
· 1 can white beans (rinsed and drained)
· 1 red bell pepper, cut into small pieces
Add quinoa and water together and bring to a boil. Simmer for 5 minutes and in the meantime prepare your vegetables. Peel and chop onion and garlic. Cut leek in half lenghtwise and rinse it. Chop up. Peel and julienne the carrot. (If using bell pepper cut it into small pieces). When the quinoa has simmered for 5 minutes drain it. Pour oil into a large soup pot and add the vegetables and garlic (if using spinach in the soup, don't add it yet). Sauté for a few minutes and then add finely chopped red chili, saute for another minute. Add quinoa, the can of crushed tomatoes, vegetable stock and let the soup simmer for about 20 minutes, until the quinoa is soft and has started opening. (If using spinach add this in just a few minutes before taking the soup of the hob and if using beans add them in 5 mins before taking it off, just enough to get them hot). Add salt and pepper to taste.Add the garnish ingredients to a small bowl and sprinkle over the soup before you eat it.