So last summer I found a recipe for a Vegetable soup with tomato and quinoa. I hadn’t had a chance to make it again since then but it was VERY tasty and I thought about it today since I had most of the ingredients. I was actually lacking the kale and the tomato that was in it but I had just about everything else so I decided to do my own spin on it. I had some plump looking turnips and a bunch of carrots that I pictured to be delicious in a soup so in the pot they went.
Turnip, Carrot and Quinoa Soup
Preparation time: 15 minutes (or however long it takes you to chop stuff)
Cooking time: About 20-25 minutes (until quinoa is tender or vegetables are at desired softness)
Makes: 4 to 6 servings (or if you’re me, you might get two meals out of it :P)
2 Tbsp. olive oil
1 small onion, chopped
2 carrots, chopped into circles
1-2 large turnips, chopped anyway you’d like (I did circles)
1 garlic clove, minced
2 Tbsp. tomato paste
1 tsp. oregano
1/2 tsp. cumin
4 cups vegetable stock or broth
1/3 cup quinoa
1 cup chopped spinach (kale would also be very tasty here)
salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
I think this was a successful version of it. The turnips almost take on the texture of thin sliced potatoes and the carrots don’t get too soft during the cooking. It takes on the consistency of a stew more than a soup but that’s not a bad thing. Perfect for this weather. It’s a hearty soup but I was very hungry so I had a sun-dried tomato soy chorizo with it on whole wheat.
So on a side note, I watched some food documentaries this past weekend that emphasized the importance of a plant based, whole foods diet such as Forks Over Knives and Hungry for Change. It’s pretty amazing what food can do as far as combating illness. People with cancer or diabetes could completely reverse these diseases just by adopting a whole foods vegan diet. I remember when I started this blog, I was primarily eating food that could be considered ‘vegan junk food’ because I wasn’t making enough time to shop and cook for myself so I’m glad I found out about Boston Organics. I feel a lot more confident eating a predominantly plant based diet while getting all my nutrients.