I'm calling it a stew. It's hearty, deep in flavour, and full of chunky vegetables. I used what I had, but ideally, it would be even better with potato or sweet potato, turnip, squash, parsnip - yum! But the cauliflower was delicious, I'd use that again for sure. 

Best part - leftovers the next day were even better. 

Enjoy this easy, one pot meal! Hannah approved, although this kid will eat most things, it seems! 

Spiced Vegetable & Quinoa Stew

Ingredients:
1 onion
2 cloves garlic
1 stalk celery
1-2 carrots
1/2 head cauliflower
1/2 head broccoli
1 zucchini
1 red pepper
(Optional replace/add vegetables of choice: potato, sweet potato, turnip, squash, parsnip - all would go really well in this stew!)
spices used (estimating about 1-2 tsp each: fennel seeds, garam marsala, cumin, oregano, ginger, turmeric, paprika
1 can diced tomatoes
4 cups vegetable broth
3/4 cup quinoa, uncooked
​Salt and pepper, as needed, always

What to do:

1) Cook onion, garlic, carrots, and celery over medium heat in soup pot, in a bit of oil or water for 3-4 minutes until fragrant.

2. Add all other vegetables and stir in spices. Cook for a few more minutes until things are sizzling and smelling ammmmmazing. 

3. Add diced tomatoes and broth and bring to a boil. Stirring to ensure things don't stick. Let boil for just a minute or two until carrots start to soften a little.

4. Add in quinoa and reduce heat to a low simmer. Stir then cover and let sit for about 10-15 minutes, or until quinoa is cooked to your preferred texture. Flavours will deepen as it simmers, too. Stir and serve up with crackers or a delicious piece of homemade bread! 

5. Store leftovers in fridge and definitely enjoy for lunch the next day as it just keeps getting better as the flavours sit! SO good! 

*This meal would work well in a slow cooker, as well. Just add all ingredients, cook on low for 4-6 hours, or on high for 2-4 hours, or until vegetables and quinoa are desired texture. 

Snow day here! So here's a soup recipe!  

A delicious, hearty, flavourful and kid-loved soup that Hannah devours. It's loaded with veggies, which she's becoming a little pickier about recently, but she's so busy chatting about finding her letter and daddy's letter, she's just scooping mouthfuls of carrots and turnips into her mouth without a beat. 

So, enjoy! 

Loaded Alphabet Soup

Total time: 30 min

Ingredients:
drizzle of oil or splash of water
1 onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1-2 carrots, chopped small
1-2 celery stalks, chopped small
1/2 cup chopped turnip, chopped small
1 can diced tomatoes
2-4 cups vegetable stock
1 tbsp oregano
1 tbsp basil
1 tbsp summer savoury
1/4 tsp hot pepper flakes
1 tsp paprika
1 tbsp maple syrup
1/2 box of alphabet noodles (I seriously just find them in any grocery store)
2-3 handful of kale, chopped 
1 can chickpeas, rinsed
Sea salt/pepper to taste

What to do:

1) In a large pot or dutch oven, add oil or water and heat on medium. Add onion and garlic until things start to smell good, about 5 minutes, stirring often. I often wait until I hear Lee say, "Mmmm, that smells good, what are you cooking?" And I reply, "Your favourite, onions and garlic" :) I swear, every time. 

2) Add in carrots, celery and turnip, as well as a small sprinkle of salt/pepper. Cook, stirring often, for another 5 minutes or so until browning starts to happen and it looks delicious.  

3) Add tomatoes, vegetable stock, spices, and maple syrup. Stir and bring to a boil. Let boil for another 5-7-ish minutes until turnip starts to soften a bit.

4) Add in noodles and kale, continue boiling for another 5-6 minutes, STIRRING OFTEN so the noodles don't stick to the bottom. Careful not to cook the noodles fully or they will get gross and mushy as they will continue cooking on their own once you turn heat to low. 

5) Reduce heat to low, add in chickpeas, more salt/pepper to taste and let sit for about 10 minutes to let the flavours grow. Serve up with a delicious piece of crusty bread or crackers and enjoy finding the letters in your soup! 

For the love of healthy creamy food. This EASY PEASY curry recipe comes together in less than 20 minutes!

Enjoy!

Creamy Chickpea Curry

Ingredients:
1 can diced tomatoes with juices
1 can coconut milk
1 onion
2 cloves garlic
tbsp ginger
2-3 tbsp curry powder, turmeric,  and curry paste (or your own concoction of flavour!)
1 tbsp maple syrup 
​salt/pepper ro taste
1 can rinsed chickpeas
​Cooked brown rice or quinoa

What to do:

1) Heat diced onion and garlic over medium heat in a bit of oil or water. I used a cast iron pan for this dish. Stir around until smelling good.

2) Add in spices and can of tomatoes. Increase heat and add in coconut milk. Bring to a light boil. 

3) Add maple syrup, reduce heat to simmer.  Add chickpeas and salt/pepper to taste.  Simmer for as little or as long as you wish. Serve over rice/quinoa. Yum!!!