Vegetable and Quinoa Soup

Vegetable & Quinoa Soup

Ingredients:

• 3 tbsp. olive oil
• 2 onions, chopped
• 2 celery stalks, chopped (plus celery leaves)
• 2 carrots, peeled and chopped
• 1 large sweet potato, chopped
• 3 garlic cloves, finely chopped
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 litre or 4 cups of vegetable stock
• 1 small tin, plum tomatoes (14 ounces)
• 1/2 cup, quinoa
• sea salt & pepper

Prep:

1. Heat the oil in a large pan over medium-high heat. Add in the onions, celery, garlic, carrots and sweet potatoes and cook for about 15 minutes, stirring often.
2. Add the vegetable stock, quinoa and tomatoes with juice and bay leaves and increase heat to bring to a boil. Once boiling, reduce heat to a simmer and cover, cooking until the vegetables are tender and the quinoa has expanded, about 30 minutes.

Pour half of the soup into a food processor and puree until smooth. Return to the pot. Season with salt & pepper. Ladle soup into bowls and top with a spoonful of celery pesto.
Celery Pesto

Ingredients:

• 2 celery ribs, chopped
• 1/2 cup celery leaves, chopped
• 1/4 cup parsley,chopped
• 2 garlic cloves, chopped
• 1/3 cup pistachios
• 1/4 Extra-Virgin olive oil
• 1/4 cup Parmesan
• salt & pepper

Prep:

1. Using a blender or food processor, combine the celery ribs & leaves, parsley, garlic, pistachios, olive oil and Parmesan. Process until smooth and season with salt & pepper.