Whenever I can’t decide what to make for dinner, I usually just cook some vegetables, add vegetable stock and then add quinoa or brown rice to finish it off. This is what I decided to do today. Depending on how much stock you use, it can either become soup or stew. I didn’t have much stock left so mine turned into a stew.
The good thing about making a dish like this is that you don’t have to follow a recipe at all. Just add any vegetables left over in your kitchen. In my case, I had garlic, onion, ginger, celery, carrots, leeks, courgette (zucchini), broccoli, sweet potatoes and kale. Some other great choices would be mushrooms, bell peppers, tomatoes, butternut squash, spinach or cauliflower.
Most canned soups or stews are extremely high in sodium and sometimes have MSG and other additives in them. It’s great to make your own so you know exactly what is in your meals. The natural sugars from these complex carbohydrates will help to stabilize your blood sugar levels. This should prevent sugar cravings later in the day and reduce any mood fluctuations which are common with sugar consumption. Add a fresh salad to the side for an enzyme rich meal that the raw foods provide.
And to recipize it now…
Vegetable Quinoa Stew
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 tbsp ginger, minced
1 onion, chopped
2 carrots, chopped
1 celery, chopped
1 leek, chopped
1/2 courgette (zucchini), chopped
1/2 cup broccoli, chopped
1/2 cup kale, sliced
1 sweet potato, cubed
4-5 cups vegetable stock (more for soup and less for a thicker stew)
1 cup quinoa (soaked and rinsed first)
1 tbsp dried basil
Handful of fresh parsley and cilantro (coriander)
Sea salt and cracked pepper to taste
Start by cooking the garlic and ginger first in a little olive oil. After a few minutes, add the onion, followed by the leeks, carrots and celery. Cook on medium heat until the fragrance is released. Add the zucchini, broccoli, kale and sweet potato next. Cook for about 10 more minutes and add some fresh or dried herbs as well. Add the vegetable stock and then add the grain you choose to use. Bring to a boil for about 5 to 10 minutes and then simmer with the lid partially on the pot until the quinoa or rice is cooked. The longer it sits, the better it tastes!
