Each day this week we'll showcase a Superfood to incorporate into your diet! Tuesday we are featuring QUINOA.

Aliya LeeKong , chef and Culinary Creative Director at Junoon, shows how to make Quinoa soup.

Click here to print a copy of this recipe (pdf)

Quick Use-Your-Veggies Quinoa Soup

Ingredients:

Serves 4 to 6

2-3 tbsps olive oil

1 red onion, finely chopped

1 jalapeno, finely chopped

2 scallions, thinly sliced

1 ½ cups finely chopped mixed vegetables (carrot, celery, zucchini, etc.)

4 to 6 garlic cloves, minced

4 cups cooked quinoa*

2 quarts vegetable or chicken stock

1 cup cubed Monterey jack cheese (optional)

½ cup heavy cream

Handful of fresh cilantro, roughly chopped

salt and freshly ground black pepper

Procedure:

Heat a medium-sized pot over medium heat.  Add olive oil and throw in the red onion and jalapeno as well as a bit of salt to draw out the moisture.  Cook for a few minutes until the red onions start to turn translucent.  Add in the scallions and mixed vegetables.  You want to cook for another few minutes but you want the vegetables to retain some crunch (so don't overcook).

Add the garlic and sauté another 30 seconds and then throw in the quinoa and stock.  Bring the mixture up to a boil and then lower to a simmer.  Add in the cheese, if using, and the heavy cream and simmer for another 2 minutes so the flavors come together.  Add the cilantro and season to taste.

*As a rule of thumb, I assume quinoa doubles in size.  So I made 2 cups of quinoa (in 3 cups water) for this recipe.