Happy New Year everyone! Hope you all had a wonderful celebration. 2015 was a great year for me and my family and iam looking forward to a fantastic 2016. Iam not good at keeping up the resolutions so i do not make any, but this year was an exception though. I made an resolution to keep Appetite Treats more active and running, So Iam really excited to be sharing some healthy and interesting recipes through out this year. Also i wanted to thank all my readers and blogger friends for your continuous support and affection even though i was MIA for a long time.
I wanted to start this year by sharing a healthy and hearty soup perfect for this cold weather. The main star of this soup is the chickpeas which is packed with all kinds of nutrients needed for the body.It is so rich and fulfilling and loaded with all kinds of good stuff like quinoa, kale and spinach. Its healthy, hearty and a wonderful comfort food, what more do you need in a soup?
This soup is so easy to make and makes a great one pot meal. I have used black chickpeas(also known as kala channa) in this recipe which has a slightly nutty taste to it than the white one, and also considered to have more nutrient content. But You could also use the white variety if you prefer. Another great thing about this soup is it requires very little prepping just for cooking the chickpeas, if you use the canned ones that work is already done for you and all you have to do is just drop everything into the pot and let it simmer away and your soup is done!
The recipe i have given generously feeds 5-6 people, if you are small family then it would make great leftovers. Just freeze them into individual portions and you are good for a busy night dinner.
If you make this or any of the recipes from Appetite Treats, be sure to tag #appetitetreats on Instagram or share it in my Facebook page. I would love to see your creations!
Chickpea Quinoa Soup with Kale and Spinach
By Sathya Sankar
Serves 5-6 people
INGREDIENTS
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 large onion, diced
- 3 cloves of garlic, finley chopped
- 1-inch piece of ginger, finely chopped
- 1 medium tomato, diced
- 2 cups cooked black chickpea (see notes below for cooking instructions)
- 1/2 cup quinoa, washed and drained
- 1 cup fresh kale, stems removed and chopped
- 2 cups fresh spinach
- 4 cups vegetable stock or chicken stock
- 2 cups reserved cooking water from chickpea
- 1 teaspoon chili powder or paprika
- 1/4 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
- salt and pepper to taste
METHOD
- Heat oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the onions,garlic and ginger and saute for 5 minutes or until the onions turn clear and soft.
- Add the diced tomatoes and sauce until they turn soft and mushy.
- Now add the kale and the quinoa and continue sautéing for 5-7 minutes until the kale starts to wilt.
- At this point, add the vegetable broth, reserved water form the chickpea, salt, pepper and paprika. Mix well, reduce the heat to simmer and let it cook for 20-30 minutes, until the quinoa is soft and tender.
- Add the chickpeas along with spinach and cilantro, continue to cook for another 10 minutes. Turn off the heat and check for seasoning before serving.
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NOTES
- Wash and soak the chickpeas in warm water overnight. In a pressure cooker, add the chickpeas along with the soaking liquid and salt, the water level should be two inch above the surface of the chickpeas. Pressure cook for 4-5 whistles. Do not drain the liquid.
- If you do not have a pressure cooker, bring water to boil in a large pot, add the chickpeas along with salt. Reduce the heat to medium, cover the pot with a lid and let ti cook for about 30-45 minutes or until the chickpeas are soft and when pressed between two fingers.
- Leftovers can be kept refrigerated for up to 3days and freezed for up to a month.