Chicken Quinoa Soup

 

There is nothing like a hot bowl of soup on a cold winter day, and if it's chicken soup that's even better!  It warms you from the inside out!   I like mine with lots of vegetables, big chunks of chicken and the extra nutrition of quinoa.  I have tried many different recipes for chicken soup and they all seemed to be missing something, they were just a bit too bland.  I knew there must be some spice that would make my chicken soup extra yummy.   I finally tried it with oregano and just a bit of garlic, and I love it!

 

Instead of the traditional chicken and rice soup we have switched to quinoa.  After some debate, we did finally learn how to pronounce it, "keen-wah".  It is a great addition to a gluten free diet, gone are the days when celiacs were limited to rice!

   

 Five fun facts about quinoa:

1. Rather than a true cereal, quinoa is known as a pseudo cereal, and is closely related to beets and spinach.
2. First cultivated by the Incas, up to 4,000 years ago, quinoa was known as " the mother of all grains" and was considered sacred.
3. Quinoa comes in many different colours including white, red and black.
4. Quinoa is a complete protein and high in iron, magnesium, and antioxidants.
5. The glycemic index of quinoa is 53 , which is considered low and is great for keeping blood sugar levels even. 

 

Chicken Quinoa Soup

• 1 lb. chicken parts, bone in
• 12 cups water
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 2 celery sticks, chopped 
• 3 cups chopped carrots 
• 2 cloves garlic, pressed
• 1 cup uncooked quinoa
• 2 tsp. sea salt
• 1/2 tsp. pepper
• 2 tsp. oregano 

In a large pot add the chicken and water and bring to a boil over high heat.  Reduce heat and simmer for one hour.  Remove the chicken from the pot and set aside.  Add 2 cups of water to the pot to replace what has evaporated.  Add remaining ingredients, bring it back to a boil, cook over medium-low heat for 45 minutes.  Remove chicken from bones, cut into bite-size pieces and return to pot.  Adjust seasonings to taste.