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Tuesday, February 28, 2012

Quinoa Chowder with Sweet Potatoes, Spinach, Feta, and Scallions

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Chobani Giveaway Winner announced at the very end of this post!)

I felt so healthy eating this soup that I saw on Joanne's blog that I felt no shame eating extra dessert that evening! This stew was packed full of nutrients from the spinach, sweet potatoes, and quinoa and a hefty sprinkling of salty feta made for a comforting dinner a few weeks ago.

The week I made this, Ryan was on business travel so I ate it a few days in a row (and consequently ate extra dessert a few days in a row ;)). Reheating soup is one of my favorite easy dinners. While we're still waiting on Spring I urge you to make a few soups to eat throughout the week. If you don't like the idea of eating the same meal multiple days in the row, store individual servings in the freezer to thaw and reheat whenever you need a quick lunch or dinner. The busier we get, the better I get at planning ahead...a little extra work on the weekends is always worth it!

If you decide to give this chowder a try (which you should!), I recommend using chicken or vegetable broth instead of water (or a combination). Cooking the quinoa in the water and using it in the soup was a little blander than I would have preferred. I think some low-sodium broth would've provided the extra boost of flavor that it needed. All in all, a wonderfully healthy meal that I had no problem dining on for a few days!
One Year Ago: Chocolate Chip Reese's Pieces Cookies

Quinoa Chowder with Sweet Potatoes, Spinach, Feta, and Scallions
from Eats Well With Others

Ingredients:
-3/4 cup quinoa, rinsed well
-1 tbsp olive oil
-3 garlic cloves, finely chopped
-1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and finely diced
-1 tsp ground cumin
-salt & freshly ground pepper
-1/2 lb sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1/4-inch cubes
-1 bunch scallions, including an inch of greens, thinly sliced into rounds
-6 cups baby spinach
-1/4 lb feta cheese, crumbled
-1/3 cup chopped cilantro

Directions:
1. Put the quinoa and 2 quarts of salted water into a large pot. Bring to a boil. Lower heat and simmer for 10 minutes. While it's cooking, dice the vegetables. Drain the pot, saving the liquid. Measure the liquid and add water to make 6 cups.
2. Heat the oil in a soup pot over medium heat. Add the garlic and jalapeno pepper. Cook for 30 seconds before adding the cumin, 1 tsp salt, and the sweet potatoes. Cook for a few minutes, stirring frequently. Add the quinoa water and half of the scallions. Simmer for 15 minutes, until the potatoes are tender.
3. Add the quinoa, spinach, and remaining scallions. Simmer for an additional 3 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in the feta and cilantro. Season with salt and black pepper.

You guys REALLY like your Chobani, as evidenced by the number of comments I got on last Thursday's post. I am so glad I asked the question I did...I loved hearing what everyone was looking forward to for the weekend. I seriously smiled as I read through the comments...people getting ready to have a baby, people celebrating birthdays, people spilling the news about their pregnancy, people pumped to just lay low...so many fun things! I should start asking that question every weekend, it made me so much more excited for my own weekend! 


As for the winner of a case of new Chobani flavors, the lucky one (picked via random number generator) is ChiTown Girl! Send me an email at natalie.mclaury@gmail.com with your address and Chobani will get the yogurt on its way!