RED LENTIL QUINOA SOUP - Andes Style

Our family took a vacation of a lifetime - we went to Ecuador and the Galapagos.   Two nights we stayed at an amazing place in the Andes called Hacienda Zuleta  where they made their meals from their own organic garden.  One evening we were served a Quinoa Soup as a starter.  In their culture they serve a thin type of salsa at the table to add to the flavor of their dishes called  aji.  We found ourselves adding aji willy nilly and it made everything taste better.  You can add your own version of aji by adding your favorite spicy condiment.

This soup was inspired by our experience.  I added the red lentils for added texture and protein.  My soup most definitely can be tweaked many different ways depending on what veggies you have in your fridge.

2 tablespoons olive oil 

1 onion diced small

3-4 stalks celery diced small

2-3 cloves garlic minced

1 tablespoon fresh ginger minced

2-3 medium tomatoes diced

4-5 cups water

1 bouillon cube (optional)

1 cup red lentils

1 cup quinoa

1 can coconut milk

1 cup fresh cilantro loosely packed (chop the leaves and the stems separately)

Salt and Pepper to taste

Hot sauce or salsa optional

In a large stock pot sauté the onion, celery, garlic and ginger with the olive oil for about 5 minutes until the onions are translucent.  Add the tomatoes and sauté for a couple minutes. 

Add the water, bouillon cube, red lentils and quinoa and chopped cilantro leaves .  Simmer covered for about 15 minutes.  Add the cilantro leaves and the coconut milk.  Season to your taste.  You may also want to add a little bit more water depending on how thick you like your soup.



We hiked and biked our way through the Andes.



Banana delivery




Our group on our most amazing adventure through Ecuador and the Galapapos.



HURRY CURRY

You can’t go wrong in our house with garbanzo beans.  We like them smashed in hummus. We like them roasted and spiced.  We like them in a wrap with veggies and whatever sauce we have.  We like them tossed in a salad and we like them in almost any hearty dish with rice.

I came up with this dish because we had the brown rice ready and we add some zucchini to use up.  Right now we also have a plate of at least a dozen tomatoes at various stages of ripeness too.  We certainly live the good life here in south Florida.  I’m always amazed when I talk to my neighbors and they don’t know about our local farms and CSA’s.  It is easy to forget, since for the most part Boca Raton is pretty congested and urban.

So if you have some rice cooked up, sauté a few vegetables (almost any will do I bet)  and add the sauce and you are good to go - faster than fast food.

Ingredients:

2 cups cooked brown rice

3 cups cooked garbanzo beans (2 cans)

1 onion diced

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 tablespoon fresh ginger (optional)

2 zucchinis, diced

2 medium size tomatoes, diced

1 can coconut milk

1 teaspoon toasted ground cumin

1 teaspoon curry spice mix

1 teaspoon turmeric

Salt and pepper to taste

Cilantro for garnish

Rinse and drain the garbanzo beans and set aside.   Meanwhile sauté the onion, garlic and ginger with a tablespoon of olive oil until translucent.  Add the zucchini and tomatoes and cook for about 5 minutes more.  Add the spices and coconut and heat through.  Add the garbanzo beans to the sauce and serve with the rice.

A note about cooking rice:

I cook a lot of rice and have found the easiest way to make rice is to use a ratio of 1:1.5.  I usually like to cook a lot of rice and store the extra in the refrigerator for later so I double the recipe.   Following the formula,  I start with 2 cups short grained brown rice and add three cups of water to a medium sized saucepan.  With the lid off of the saucepan and the heat at medium high, I wait for the water to boil.  Once the water is boiling, put the lid on, place the heat at simmer and cook for exactly 20 minutes.  Do not take the lid off the pot and turn off the heat and let the rice steam for 10 minutes.  You will have perfect rice every time.

THREE NUT "CHEESE"

Getting that cheesy flavor without buying processed vegan food can be difficult, but I think Robin Asbell of Big Vegan cracked the code.  The cheese flavor and  creamy consistency are similar to  Alouette cheese.  It is great on crackers, in a wrap, mixed into a tomato sauce, or dolloped on a simple margherita pizza or cauliflower pizza.  We have made her recipe a handful of times and can’t seem to get enough of it.  Because I can’t leave anything well enough alone, I have made a few changes.  The acidophilus capsules that she mentions are made with gelatin, so I used Multidophilus Powder instead.  ¼ teaspoon seems to be the right amount.  I also added garlic powder.  You could add some dried or fresh herbs too.  The possibilities are endless.

Don’t be scared off by the two day process.  It does take some pre-planning but it is not time consuming.  You will be so glad you did.

A note on Robin Asbell:  Robin has written several vegan cookbooks, but this is the first one I purchased.  I am going to check out some of her earlier cookbooks when I get a chance.

INGREDIENTS:
1/3 cup macadamia nuts

1/3 cup raw cashews

1/3 cup slivered or flaked almonds

¼ teaspoon vegan Multidophilus Powder or similar (be careful some Acidophilus formulas include milk, goats milk or gelatin)

1 Tablespoon oil (I used olive oil or coconut oil)

1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice

½ teaspoon salt

Garlic powder to taste

Two days ahead:

Put the nuts in a bowl and cover in cool water and refrigerate overnight. 

The next day, drain the nuts and puree in a blender or food processor with ½ cup fresh water.  Puree until nice and smooth.  You might have to scrape down the sides a few times.  Add the Multidophilus or Acidophilus powder and mix well.   Transfer the cheese mixture to a ceramic or glass container and cover loosely.  Let stand at room temperature for 24 hours.  You will start to see the cheese expand and bubble a little bit.  That is what gives the three nut “cheese” its great flavor.

When the cheese is ready and has fermented for the full 24 hours, add the oil, lemon, salt and garlic powder.  Cover tightly and refrigerate.  You are ready to enjoy.