I’d hoped to be sharing a Halloween recipe with you, but life has been getting in the way of cooking lately. The other night I went into the kitchen to make a last-minute dinner of my Dirty Little Secret Soup but wound up making so many changes that it took on an entirely new character. I had about 2/3 of a cup of leftover pumpkin puree that I wanted to use up, so I changed the other ingredients and seasonings to complement it. And do you know what happens when you add pumpkin and quinoa to soup? It thickens so much that it’s not soup anymore but stew!
Before I get to the recipe, let me share a couple of pieces of exciting news:
First, I found out on Monday that this blog won this year’s VegNews Magazine Veggie Award for readers’ favorite blog. I can’t tell you how honored I am that so many of you took the time to vote for me again. The competition included some of my favorite blogs, and I’m sure the voting was close. Thank you!
Second, I’m happy to announce that I’ll be speaking at the first ever Vida Vegan Blogger Conference next August 26-28 in Portland, Oregon. It looks like it’s going to be a great weekend, and if you’re a vegan blogger or blog reader, you will not want to miss it. Registration is open, so sign up and let me know in the comments if you’ll be there.
On to the recipe. It’s ridiculously easy because I used frozen vegetables and canned lentils, but if you want to do it the slow way, chop your own veg and cook your own lentils. I’m sure fresh ingredients will make this flavorful and deeply satisfying stew even more delicious.
P.S. I may still get around to creating a Halloween dish, but until then, check the bottom of this post for links to vegan Halloween treats.
(printer-friendly version)
1 large onion, chopped
4 cloves garlic cloves, minced
2 12-ounce packages frozen vegetables* (or 2 pounds fresh vegetables cut in bit-sized pieces)
1 15-ounce can diced tomatoes, preferably fire-roasted
1 15-ounce can cooked lentils (or 1 1/2 cups cooked lentils and cooking liquid)
4 cups vegetable broth or “no-chicken” broth
1 1/4 teaspoon Mexican oregano (or regular oregano)
1/2 teaspoon hot smoked paprika
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/3 cup quinoa, rinsed very well
2/3 cup pumpkin (canned or cooked and water pressed out)
salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
Cook the onion in a large, non-stick Dutch oven until it begins to brown. Add the garlic and cook, stirring, for another minute. Add next 7 ingredients and cook until vegetables thaw and broth begins to boil. Add quinoa and cook on medium heat until it is tender, about 15 minutes. Add pumpkin and salt and pepper to taste and cook for 5 more minutes, adding a little water if it seems too thick. Serve hot, garnished with parsley, if desired.
*I used an Italian blend containing carrots, zucchini, cauliflower, lima beans, red bell peppers, and Italian green beans, but any blend of chunky-cut vegetables will do.
Servings: 6
Nutrition (per serving): 181 calories, 8 calories from fat, <1g total fat, 0mg cholesterol, 535.7mg sodium, 311.7mg potassium, 33.4g carbohydrates, 8.5g fiber, 8.7g sugar, 9.7g protein, 2.9 points.
Tagged as: CORE, eat-to-live, gluten-free, Ridiculously Easy
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