Mushroom Soup With Quinoa & Chia

Hello Fellow Nom Seekers!

My body was just crying out for something warm and heartening with the rainy weather we have been getting.  It seems like it turned from Summer to Winter with nary a transition in betwixt.  I have also been feeling rather lurgy probably from attacking two all-you-can-eat buffets within days of each other (you can read about my recent gluttony here and here during my epic China Bar-athon) and  was craving something simple and grounding.

Which brings me to a rather success-of-a-free-styling soup. The inspiration was classic mushroom and barley soup.  However in an attempt to nourish myself with 'superfoods', I decided to substitue barley for quinoa and chia seeds.  Yum!  It went down well with the whole family.  I drizzled a bit of extra virgin olive oil on top and served it with sourdough drenched in butter on a cold rainy night.

Here is the recipe below (made approx 6 - 8 serves):

• 370g of mushrooms - I used Swiss browns
• 1 onion, chopped
• 1 potato, diced
• 4 rashers of bacon, diced
• a handful of fresh thyme
• 1/3 cup red quinoa, rinsed well
• 2 tablespoons of black chia seeds
• 2 x broccoli stalks, diced
• 1 bay leaf
• 1/2 tomato, chopped
• 750ml of water
• Oil, I used coconut oil
• Salt and pepper to taste

Method:

• In a large saucepan, heat up a tablespoon of oil and fry up the onions and bacon.
• Once browned, add the remainder of the ingredients
• Bring to boil and simmer for 40 mins
• Fish out the bay leaf and any twiggy thyme stalks.  Blender with a stick blender
• Season with salt and pepper to taste
• Serve with a drizzle of EVOO on top.  I think a shaving or two of parmesan on top would also be nice - will try that one next time.  

Enjoy and catch you next time...