Quinoa Soup

I keep reading about quinoa. How it's amazingly nutritious, it's higher in protein than any real grain, and is even a complete protein. I remember my midwife suggesting I eat quinoa more often since I always seemed to lack sufficient protein. I enjoyed reading this blog about quinoa.

I finally gave in. I found a recipe for Quinoa Soup in my Colorado Farmer's Market cookbook. (Love this cookbook.) I altered it a bit for my taste and what was on hand, and it turned out darn good. Here's my version:

1 Tbsp. olive oil
1/2 c. diced red onion
1 stalk celery, diced
1 cup cooked blackbeans
1 potato, peeled and chopped
1 carrot, peeled and chopped
1 Tbsp dried parsley
1 clove garlic, minced
6 cups turkey broth
1/2 cup quinoa

Sautee all the veggies and garlic in olive oil for about 5 minutes, till onions are tender.



Add the broth. I used broth made from the bones of some turkey leg quarters I smoked last weekend - fantastic flavor that broth has, I tell ya. Bring to a boil.



Add the quinoa. I know it doesn't look like much, but if you've ever cooked with quinoa, you'll know that it expands. A lot. Half a cup is plenty.

Bring it back to a boil, then cover and simmer about 45 minutes till the quinoa is soft.

Serve with a side of homemade bread or corn bread and some homemade raw butter, and enjoy! Even Littlest One loved this, and she's not the best soup eater.

Ode to Sesame Oil

Have you discovered toasted sesame oil yet? It's been a beloved favorite of mine for a few years now. With a strong flavor, you don't need much to really change the taste of a meal. It's not cheap, but a tiny bit goes a very long way. Keep it stored in the fridge - sesame oil goes rancid quickly, and keeping it cold helps to delay that. Look in the Asian section of the grocery store, near soy sauce and teriyaki.

Stir fry dinners are a regular occurrence around here, especially in the summer when all the veggies are fresh from the garden. Try some carrots and snow peas sauteed lightly in a drizzle of sesame oil, then tossed with raw sesame seeds and served over rice. Or add some sesame to an otherwise plain oil-based salad dressing and it becomes an Asian-flavored dressing: try tossing some chicken into a regular garden salad, then sprinkle on some raw cashews and your Asian dressing, and you've got a tasty main-dish salad.