What an aptly named product -- GoGo Quinoa! We all need to go to quinoa more frequently but it's a tough one for some people due to the bitter flavor it can have depending on the brand you buy and how it's cooked. Well this one is a no-brainer and there is absolutely no bitter flavor whatsoever so pick up a package of GoGo Quinoa and Vegetable Soup mix and make this delicious soup-stew with it! It's really inexpensive considering it's organic, fair trade and good for you! I picked up several for $3.29 each and each box contains two packets of 65 gms. You only need one 65 gm packet for this recipe. I've been busy knitting comfort dolls (see veggie prairie girl rambles below for more info on this if you're interested) so I've been neglecting my cooking duties! However after 3 days of literally muffins and smoothies I thought it was time for a little more veggies in my life and my favorite bean -- chickpeas. I'd still rather continue knitting than cook this week so I was looking for something really really quick and this is it! For the amount of effort and ingredients it's got a lot of great flavor plus you're getting a good portion of the "got-to-get-more-in-your-life-quinoa-grain". Plus it makes a very nice mild blend for hungry little toddlers if you have a little munchkin running around your house like I do! Whirls up nice and smooth in the mini container of your magic bullet.
Ingredients1 tablespoon olive oil
1 onion, diced
4 carrots, sliced
2 potatoes, cubed
1 (14 oz) tin diced tomatoes
1 cup cooked chickpeas (I used canned organic)
1 (65 gm) packet of gogo quinoa
2 teaspoons veggie powder2-3 cups spring water
Saute your onion and carrots for about 5 minutes in the olive oil. Add 2 cups water, the potatoes, tomatoes, chickpeas, veggie powder and quinoa. Simmer until veggies are cooked -- add more water depending on whether you want soup or stew-like texture. This soup cooks up quickly and is ready too serve in less than 45 minutes. Really tasty! GoGo Quinoa!
Veggie Prairie Girl Rambles
People around the world are knitting African Comfort Dolls for the HIV/AIDS orphans of Africa and children of other disaster regions. (4000 dolls were recently sent to Haiti along with meds). The dolls are used as packing material to cushion medical supplies and when the meds are unloaded, the dolls are given to orphans and the children of the poorest of the poor. Often the doll sent as packing material is the only toy these children will ever own and many HIV AIDS orphans are buried with their dolls. Billy Willabond, a Canadian Peacekeeping Veteran, is the National President of the International Community for the Relief of Starvation and Suffering (ICROSS CANADA) and I send all my completed dolls (I've made 155 to date and plan to make many more) to their address in British Columbia. He is very punctual about letting you know your dolls have been received and that they are very much appreciated so it's a gratifying organization to donate to. The dolls are a quick knit and they turn out so cute for the effort involved. Pictured below are five that I just completed this weekend. Feel free to e-mail me if you want anymore details or have questions about how to knit them or finish them. This is a very simple pattern which is good because simple is all I know when it comes to knitting. Regardless of your level of expertise it's a satisfying project to be involved in. I encourage everyone to go to the ICROSS website to learn more about what they've done and what they continue to work towards. Also check out this blog and learn how two Vancouver women who, after knitting comfort dolls for ICROSS, were inspired to find a unique way to raise funds for charity.
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