*****Peanut and Quinoa Soup Recipe (6/56)

This is what it looked like at work,
VERY FILLING, only a little
would have been great, loved
the al dente taste of the yellow and
green summer squash, required added
water, otherwise it would have burned
to the pain  (rule number......)

RECIPE 6/56  AFRICAN PEANUT & QUINOA SOUP
INGREDIENTS

COMMENT:  I made 1/2 recipe and it turned out like a stew not a soup.   I loved it, but it needed much more water than it called for.  you see my note under my photo and all that was true.  In order to make it a soup I would have had to add about twice as much water.  Half the recipe was good for food for one for 2 days, if you eat nothing else.


1 cup uncooked quinoa rinsed (removes the bitter taste)
2 medium sweet potatoes
2 small zucchini
2 small yellow squash
1 medium onion
1 jalapeno pepper, seeded
1 Tbsp EVOO
4 garlic cloves, pressed
2 tsp ground cumin
4 cups vegetable stock
2 cups water
1 cup natural unsalted creamy peanut butter
1 3/4 tsp salt
3/4 tsp coarsely ground black pepper
1 cup loosely packed fresh cilantro, coarsely chopped
Coarsely chopped dry-roasted peanuts (I didn't chop them, they were great whole and I used lightly salted peanuts)

DIRECTIONS
PREP TIME 15 MINUTES TOTAL TIME 45 MINUTES YIELD 8 SERVINGS
350 CALORIES (to me this is an underestimate of the calories, but I haven't figured it out exactly)

1.  Bring 2 cups water to boil. Add quinoa, cover and reduce heat to low.  Cook 15 minutes or until tender.  Meanwhile, dice sweet potatoes, zucchini and yellow squash.  Set zucchini and yellow squash aside.  Coarsely chop onion and finely chop jalapeno.

2.  Heat oil over medium heat 1 to 3 minutes or until shimmering.  Add potatoes, onion, jalapeno, pressed garlic and cumin.  Cook, uncovered, 3-4 minutes or until onion is translucent, stirring occasionally.  Stir in stock and water; cook, uncovered, 12-15 minutes or until potatoes are tender.  Remove From heat; cool 5 minutes.

3.   Carefully ladle one-third of the potato mixture into blender container.  Cover and blend until smooth.  Pour blended potato mixture into mixing bowl.  Repeat with remaining potato mixture.  I USED AN IMMERSION BLENDER HERE SO I DIDN'T HAVE TO LADLE ANYTHING, NOT AS MESSY, LESS DISHES AND FASTER.  IF YOU COOK IT ALL IN A DUTCH OVEN THERE ARE EVEN LESS DISHES

4.  Transfer blended potato mixture to Stockpot;  whisk in peanut butter.  Stir in zucchini, yellow squash, salt and black pepper;  cook, uncovered, over medium heat 2-3 minutes or until simmering.  Top each serving with quinoa, cilantro and peanuts, if desired.  COMMENT:  BECAUSE THE ZUCCHINI AND YELLOW SQUASH ARE ONLY COOKED AL DENTE, THEY OFFERED AND REALLY GREAT QUALITY TO THIS DISH, GREAT TEXTURE.