Green Vegetable & Quinoa Soup

Ingredients

• ½ cup quinoa
• 1 cup water
• 1/8 t + ¼ t salt
• 1 T olive oil
• 1 large leek, halved lengthwise, washed and cut into ½” slices
• 1 large onion, coarsely chopped
• 1 cup chopped celery
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 cups chopped, peeled, seeded cucumber
• ½ t dried thyme, crumbled
• ½ t dried rosemary, crumbled
• ¼ t freshly ground black pepper
• 4 cups chicken broth
• 2 cups frozen peas
• 1 cup granted zucchini

Directions

1. In fine-mesh strainer, rise quinoa in cold water for 2 min (do not soak longer).  In heavy saucepan, bring quinoa, water & 1/8 t salt to boil.  Cover, reduce heat & simmer 10-15 minutes or until quinoa is tender, water absorbed & some grains start to uncoil.  Remove from heat and set aside, covered. 
   
   
2. Heat the oil in Dutch oven over medium heat.  Add next four ingredients & cook, stirring often, for 5 minutes or until the vegetables begin to shrink down. 
   
   
3. Add next four ingredients & the ¼ t salt and stir well.  Lower the heat, cover & cook, stirring occasionally for 10 minutes or until the vegetables are very tender. 
   
   
4. Add broth & the cooked quinoa.  Cover and bring to a boil over high heat.  Reduce heat to low & simmer, covered, for 5 minutes.  Stir in the peas & zucchini.  Cover & simmer for 5-7 minutes longer or until the peas are heated thru & the zucchini is tender. 

Makes 8 — 1st course servings or 4 main dish servings