You should make this soup because:

1. It’s one of my favourites
2. It’s easy and cheap
3. You can easily replace something or add something
4. Quinoa is a complete protein (you haven’t heard that before, right? ;p )

When I made this soup end of summer I put very little chilli in it, this time I put more in, I need the heat on cold, late winter days. It’s good either way. It’s a very brothy and light soup, but with great taste and some heat that satisfies. What more can I say? It’s good it’s god it’s good it’s good!

Quinoa soup that rocks your boat: (Originally from a Swedish cookbook called Det vegetariska köket)

• 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.