Print Friendly

Last week  I had two sick kids.  When more than one of my kids is sick at a time I feel like I am going to go crazy!  I don’t know who to help and I worry about who is going to come down with it next, me or the other kids who are still well?  When I feel “out of control” my desire to cook is deep, the problem is, time is short to get much done when kids are sick, it is a big dilemma!  Well, last week, thanks to Dora the Explorer, I was able to satisfy my need to cook and make something healing for the kids, win win!

  • 2 Tbs. olive oil
  • 1 medium onion, diced
  • 3 carrots, sliced
  • 2 stalks celery, sliced
  • 4-6 cloves garlic, minced or pressed
  • 1 Tbs. Italian seasoning
  • 2 Tbs. dried parsley or 1/4 cup fresh parsley
  • 1 sprig fresh rosemary, minced
  • 8-10 cups water*
  • 1/4 cup chicken base*
  • 1 1/2 cups quinoa
  • 3 cups chicken, cooked
  • salt and pepper to taste
  • Parmesan cheese as a garnish, if desired
  • *or chicken stock

This is one of the comfort foods in my house.  It warms you to your inner core and leaves you feeling satisfied.  One of my friends introduced me to the original recipe and with my changes it has become my go to chicken soup, a replacement and a more protein packed version of chicken noodle soup!  It is good anytime, when you are sick it helps heal and when you are well, it tastes even better!  Once you give it a try, I have a feeling it will go into your regular meal rotation.

(Oh yeah, this makes a lot, but is great as leftovers and freezes really well!  Stick half in the freezer and pull it out next time you need some good comfort food!)

Chicken Quinoa Soup

Adapted from recipetips.com

In a large stock pot heat the oil over medium.  Stir in the onion, carrots, and celery.  Saute for about 5 minutes.  Add in the garlic, Italian seasoning, parsley, and rosemary.  Cook until fragrant, 1-2 minutes.

Stir in the water and chicken base (or chicken broth).  Bring to a boil and add the quinoa and chicken.  Reduce to a simmer, cover and cook for 30-40 minutes to blend flavors (or longer if desired).  Taste and adjust the salt and pepper as desired, garnish with parmesan cheese.  Serve with Chewy Italian or focaccia bread.