Silky Zucchini Quinoa Soup With Roasted Garlic Food

QUINOA VEGETABLE SOUP

Steps:

• Warm the olive oil in a large Dutch oven or soup pot over medium heat. Once the oil is shimmering, add the chopped onion, carrot, celery, seasonal vegetables and a pinch of salt. Cook, stirring often, until the onion has softened and is turning translucent, about 6 to 8 minutes.
• Add the garlic and thyme. Cook until fragrant while stirring frequently, about 1 minute. Pour in the diced tomatoes with their juices and cook for a few more minutes, stirring often.
• Pour in the quinoa, broth and the water. Add 1 teaspoon salt, 2 bay leaves and a pinch of red pepper flakes. Season generously with freshly ground black pepper. Raise heat and bring the mixture to a boil, then partially cover the pot and reduce heat to maintain a gentle simmer.
• Cook for 25 minutes, then remove the lid and add the beans and the chopped greens. Continue simmering for 5 minutes or more, until the greens have softened to your liking.
• Remove the pot from heat, then remove the bay leaves. Stir in 1 teaspoon lemon juice. Taste and season with more salt, pepper and/or lemon juice until the flavors really sing. (You might need up to 1/2 teaspoon more salt, depending on your vegetable broth and your personal preferences.) Divide into bowls and top with grated Parmesan if you'd like.

SPICED QUINOA WITH ZUCCHINI

Steps:

• Cook 3/4 cup rinsed tricolor quinoa as the label directs, adding 1/4 teaspoon allspice to the water. Meanwhile, toss 2 sliced zucchini with 2 tablespoons olive oil and 1 grated garlic clove; season with salt and pepper. Bake at 450 degrees F until tender, about 10 minutes. Stir into the quinoa along with 1/2 cup golden raisins and 2 tablespoons each olive oil, chopped cilantro and dill. Season with salt.

SILKY ZUCCHINI QUINOA SOUP WITH ROASTED GARLIC

Steps:

• First remove the loose skin off the garlic. Then, cut the tops off of the garlic heads, brush them with oil, and wrap them on foil. Roast at 400 for 40 minutes.
• While the garlic roasts, saute the onions and zucchini.
• Once they are translucent, add the quinoa, dill, and water. When the water is warm enough, mix in the stock base. Cook until quinoa is cooked through.
• Take out off the heat and use an immersion blender to puree the soup. When the garlic is done, squeeze it from the bottom so the roasted garlic pops out the top. The roasted garlic along with the tofu,lemon juice, salt, and pepper to the soup and puree it again. Taste and adjust the seasonings to your liking.
• If you do not have an immersion blender you can carefully remove the soup and use a standing blender. However, please be careful as blending hot soup can create quite a mess.