Curried Squash and Red Lentil Bisque with Quinoa

A fellow foodie and good friend of mine recently emailed me a recipe for soup.  It read something like this:

Saute some onions and curry spices in oil.  Add squash and cover with vegetable broth.  Cook until squash is almost done then add some red lentils.  Let cook about 15 minutes and then mash it up.  Add a can of coconut milk and a handful of quinoa and cook until quinoa "blooms."

I had everything I needed to give this a try, so try it I did and it was AMAZING!  Here is what I did, in a bit more detail.

INGREDIENTS:
1 large onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1 T Madras curry powder (I make my own and it's delicious.  I'll give the recipe for that another day.)
1/2 T Indian chili powder (or to taste.  or leave out completely if the curry powder is enough heat for you)
2 T canola oil
1 large butternut squash, peeled and chopped into 1 1/2 inch pieces (about 8 cups)
1 cup red lentils (called masoor dal in Indian grocery stores)
4 cups broth (vegetable or chicken)
1/2 cup quinoa (I used tri-color quinoa because it's so pretty!)
1 can coconut milk
1 T lime juice
chopped cilantro for garnish

METHOD:
1.  Saute onion, garlic, and curry powder in oil until soft and beginning to carmalize

2.  Stir in squash and broth.  Bring to a boil.   Cover and simmer until squash is tender, but not too soft.

3.  Stir in red lentils and continue cooking until lentils are soft (about 15 minutes)

4.  Use an immersion blender (or any other method) to puree the soup.

5.  Stir in coconut milk and quinoa.  Cook until quinoa is soft, but still has a slight bite.

6.  Stir in lime juice and adjust seasonings as needed (salt, pepper, curry powder)

7.  If the soup is too thick, add water or broth to achieve the consistency you prefer.

8.  Garnish with cilantro

My niece LOVES quinoa, so I'm posting this recipe especially for her.  I hope she tries it!

red lentils (masoor dal) and tri-color quinoa

Chicken Tortilla Soup

I love the adventure of trying out a new recipe; but sometimes, I just don't have the drive nor the time to take a chance on something I may not like.  I have a collection of family-tested, quick to fix recipes that I fall back on time and again.  This chicken tortilla soup is one of them.  It goes together quickly and everyone loves it.  Plus, it's hardy enough that I don't really need to make anything else to go with it!

This recipe is adapted from one found in The Whole Foods Market Cookbook.  Don't be put off by the seemingly long list of ingredients.  The recipe is really simple!

Ingredients:

2 T. canola oil

1 red or yellow bell pepper, diced

1 green bell pepper, diced

1 red onion, diced

2 cloves garlic, minced

2 t dried oregano

1 1/2 t cumin

1 t chili powder (such as cayenne)

1 jalapeno, chopped (I leave the seeds because I like the heat, but you can remove them)

1 14.5 oz can whole tomatoes, cut up with juice

4 cups chicken broth

1 lb boneless, skinless chicken thighs (or breasts, if you prefer)

1 15 oz. can black beans, drained

2 cups frozen corn

1/2 cup minced cilantro

salt to taste

For Serving:

blue tortilla chips

Monterey Jack cheese

diced avocado

Method:

1.  Heat oil in large pot and saute peppers, onion, garlic, oregano, cumin, and chili powder until onion is translucent.

2.  Add jalapeno and cut up tomatoes.  Stir and cook briefly.

3.  Add chicken broth and chicken pieces.  Bring to a boil.  Lower heat and simmer for 20 minutes or until chicken is done.  Remove chicken and cut into bite-sized pieces.

4.  Return chicken to pot along with black beans and corn.  Bring to a simmer and let simmer for 10 minutes to blend flavors.  Add salt and cilantro.

To Serve:
Crumble some tortilla chips into a bowl and top with a sprinkling of cheese.  Ladle hot soup over chips and garnish with avocado.