By Kathryn Reed

One of the nice things about living where there is a long winter is the opportunity to have soup over and over again. While I have my go-to recipes, there are times when I want something new.

Being a vegetarian I often don’t have protein in my soup except for beans. This was a first for me to have quinoa and soup together. It was great.

The quinoa would be a welcome addition to whatever your normal vegetable soup is. It could also be a substitute for whatever protein you usually use.

Toasted Quinoa Soup

1 C uncooked quinoa

2 T olive oil

½ C red onion, diced

1 large carrot, diced

1 red pepper, diced

8 cloves garlic, minced

1½ T fresh rosemary, minced

1 tsp ground cumin

8 C vegetable broth

1 medium potato, cubed

1 parsnip, chopped

1 medium zucchini, diced

8 Brussels sprouts, cut in half

½ C flat leaf parsley, chopped

Kosher salt

Preheat oven to 325 degrees.

Spread quinoa in a thin layer on a rimmed baking sheet; bake at 325 degrees until browned, about 30 minutes. Stir every 10 minutes.

Heat a large stockpot over medium. Add oil. Add onion, carrot, bell pepper, and garlic; cover and cook until vegetables are tender, stirring occasionally.

Uncover and stir in rosemary and cumin; cook 1 minute.

Stir in stock, potatoes, parsnip, and toasted quinoa. Bring mixture to a boil, then cover and reduce heat to medium. Cook 12 minutes.

Stir in zucchini and Brussels sprouts; cook until vegetables and quinoa are tender.

Stir in parsley and salt. Adjust seasonings as needed.