Quinoa Meal # 3: Cold and Rainy Nights Call for Hot Soup!

I recently did my first detox for three days from the Whole Living website. The plan included only three meals and dinner was a vegetable based soup that I fell in love with. The soup uses the heat of the broth to steam the greens, keeping them from getting too soggy and retaining their bright green color. Find the inspiration recipe here: http://www.wholeliving.com/176596/carrot-spinach-soup-dill

If you want to make this soup last for a few more days, make smaller  one cup servings of the broth and pair with a salad or sandwich. If you can do the vegetable prep ahead of time, this recipe would take a little over a half an hour with no active cooking. ( I did two loads of laundry, folded, loaded the dishwasher, and finished typing up this blog in the time it took the soup to simmer!)

Tonight's dinner uses up the last of the quinoa in a hearty vegetable based soup inspired by the detox dinner:

Portabello & Spinach Quinoa Soup
 Serves 2

1-2 Portabello mushrooms, sliced in 1-2 inch pieces
1 T EVOO
2 cups of fresh baby spinach
1 cup of quinoa

Broth:
1 T EVOO
1/2 yellow onion, diced
1 tsp Tumeric
4 carrots, peeled and diced
6 cups of water
Salt & pepper to season

Add oil to stock pot over medium heat, add onions. Cook 3-5 minutes until translucent, stirring frequently. Add tumeric to onions and stir. Add carrots and saute for one minute, add water, and bring to a boil. Once boiling reduce heat to a simmer, and let simmer for 30 minutes.

Meanwhile, saute mushrooms until soft and blackened. Set aside.

Place 1/2 c of quinoa in a large bowl, ( I use glass mixing bowls) place half the mushrooms on top, and one cup of the spinach. Pour 2 1/2-3 cups of the broth over the spinach, cover and let sit for a few minutes until spinach is wilted. Serve with a side of toasty warm, fresh artisan bread, such as a baguette.