RECIPE: Quinoa and Root Vegetable Soup with Crème Fraîche

Quinoa is a fantastic complete protein and wheat free alternative - it's packed with goodness and so easy to cook. Just add one part quinoa to two parts water and boil for 15 minutes, it's that quick! Though we aren't bringing up Isabella as a vegetarian she does eat a lot of vegetarian meals, probably as I do all her cooking and I'm a vegetarian. So, it's important that we include a wide range of vegetairan protein-rich foods in her diet. This was actually the first time Isabella had tried Quinoa and it was a real success, she loved the soup and dipping in the bread slices - so grown up!

 

What you'll need:

2 Red onions, diced

1 Garlic cloves, chopped

1 Carrot, diced

2 Parsnips, diced

1/2 Swede, diced

1 large Sweet potato, diced

1 tsp Dried Rosemary

1 tsp Dried Thyme

1 tsp Dried Sage

1 tsp Dried Oregano 

1 Very low or no salt vegetable stock cube

1 cup Quinoa

2 cups Cold water

Boiling water

Black pepper 

Crème fraîche 

Pumpkin seeds, chopped

What to do:

1) Fry the onion in a large saucepan until golden brown. Add the garlic and fry for a further 1 minute.

2) Add the diced carrot, parsnip, swede, sweet potato to the onion mix and cook for 5 minutes, stirring every now and again.

3) Crumble in the stock cube and add enough boiling water to just cover the vegetables. Add the herbs and black pepper, stir. Cover and simmer for 20 minutes or until the vegetables are cooked. 

4) While the vegetables are cooking add the quinoa and cold water into another saucepan. Bring to the boil and simmer for 15 minutes or until the quinoa is cooked. Drain and set aside.

5) Once the vegetables are cooked remove from the heat. Blitz until smooth in either a hand blender or blender. 

6) Stir in the cooked quinoa and serve with a dollop of crème fraîche and a sprinkle of chopped pumpkin seeds.

 

What's your favourite way to have quinoa?

Feel free to leave a comment :)

Helen x