Vegetable Quinoa Stew

This stew has a distinct flavor because of the quinoa. It's so tasty, hearty and filling, and you can serve it with any bread. I served it on a cold evening and it hit the spot! :D I tweaked the recipe from OFKT food blog. Serves 6-8.


Vegetable Quinoa Stew (Keen-wah OR Keen-o-uh)

2 Tbsp olive oil
1 small onion, chopped
3 stalks celery, chopped
2 large carrots, peeled and sliced
1 c sweet pepper, chopped
1 zucchini, quartered and sliced
32 oz chicken broth
15 oz can tomatoes
4 small red or golden potatoes, scrubbed and cubed into 1" pieces
1 1/2 c cooked quinoa
2 chicken breasts, cooked and shredded and seasoned with salt and pepper
1 Tbsp Dijon mustard
1 Tbsp hot sauce, optional

Salt, Pepper, and garlic salt to taste
2 Tbsp fresh parsley, chopped
lemon juice, to taste

1. Heat oil in a soup pot over medium heat. Saute onion, celery, carrots, sweet pepper, and zucchini until softened, about 5 minutes.
2. Stir in chicken broth, tomatoes, and potatoes. Increase heat until broth starts to boil; reduce heat to medium and let simmer 10 minutes or until potatoes are tender (knife inserts easily).
3. Reduce heat to low and stir in quinoa, mustard, and hot sauce. Season to taste with salt, pepper, and garlic salt to your liking. Careful not to add too much salt, give it a minute to dissolve before adding more (it's easy to over-salt!). Add a squirt of lemon juice to taste; stir in fresh parsley and simmer until ready to serve.