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Quinoa Vegetable Soup by HLife Photography

I think we can finally say winter is officially here, at least in Los Angeles. It’s been so cold – and wet, which makes it even more cold – that a warm, mineral and fiber-dense veggie soup is in order. Not only that, but it has come to my attention that not many people know how to make an amazing veggie soup without sauteing and using stock, which to me sounds so bonkers.  I grew up sipping on soups even in the summer. You heard it, the summer. If anyone goes to my grandma’s house for a meal, I can guarantee that there will be some sort of soup before the entree, in the menu for the evening and sometimes even for lunch. My mom became such a pro at soups, not only because they mentally transported her back to her moms’ house in Peru and made her feel warm and cozy inside, but also ’cause veggie soups are rich in minerals and fiber and are easily digestible, and she used them as part of detoxes and as a healing food if anyone got sick.  So, as my best friend, spiritual guide, and progenitor, she passed on the soup-making knowledge – and guess what? IT’S THE EASIEST EVER!!!!!!

People need to get over the whole “stock” idea, the extra “boxed broth” shenanigans (high in table salt sodium and who knows how long it’s been sitting there with preservatives…can’t be good if it’s stored for ages, yuck!) and the sauteing of anything when it comes to making a mac daddy veggie soup. Veggie soups are not about having oil (from sauteing), it’s too harsh for the liver and entirely unnecessary. Soups are all about cleansing, easy digestion, nourishment and healing, so say no to oils when making one. Without further ado, here it is, very simple to make, delicious to eat, and nutritious for us: My quinoa veggie soup!!!!!!

First and foremost, do not use anything from a can.  All vegetables must be organic and fresh, not processed. That’s how you actually get a true veggie soup with rocking flavor, and reap the nutritional benefits. Put the water in a heavy stainless steel pot, put the lid on it, and place it over high heat to boil.  Rinse the quinoa well and drain. Do this twice with warm filtered water, then set quinoa aside.  Once the water is boiling, add the quinoa, all the veggies, onion, garlic, and ginger. Cover and keep it at high temp. Once its starts to boil again, bring temp down to medium low and let it simmer for 15 minutes. After the 15 minutes, check if the quinoa is cooked.  It should look transparent, thick, and in the shape of a circle with a clef in it (look at picture above).  You don’t want to cook the veggies too much unless the quinoa needs more time. When the quinoa is ready, add the thyme, Celtic sea salt, cayenne pepper, and black pepper. Stir to mix all condiments well in the soup and cover for a minute, then taste. If it needs a little more sea salt, then add it.  Serve and garnish generously with the freshly chopped parsley.  Enjoy!

We make veggie soups all the time and I use whatever I have in my kitchen.  The basics are always carrot, celery, onion and garlic. Zucchini and green beans are always my favorite to add, but my veggies vary from cabbage to bok choy to green bell peppers, even corn chopped into fours. This recipe is one of mine and my husband’s favorite, so you should make my original recipe first, and then try other veggie combination to see how they work. Just remember to be creative and experiment with the veggies you have at the time.

Nutritional info: Basically, what you are getting in a veggie soup made from scratch with fresh ingredients is a ton of fiber to clean your intestines, a load of water-soluble minerals and electrolytes. If you add some sea greens (algaes) to the soup and just drink the broth, its an excellent source of energy, minerals and electrolytes. Minerals are soooooo important for health, as they play vital roles in several physiological functions, including critical involvement in nervous system functioning, cellular reactions, water balance in the body, and in structural systems like the skeletal system.  Because minerals have a very simple structure of usually one or more molecules of an element, they are not readily destroyed in the heating or cooking process of food preparation.  Because all the minerals stay in the fluid of the soup, and we benefit from the minerals when we drink it, it would defeat the purpose of nutrition if you discarded the liquid (the case with boiled or over-steamed veggies as a side dish, for example).  A veggie soup is also an easily digestible meal, because it is basically fiber and liquid molecules, so it saves you energy that your body would spend on generating enzymes to digest heavier foods. This is usually why it becomes an ideal choice for a healing/recovery food.