Quinoa Curry Soup | A gluten-free, dairy-free, soy-free, nut-free recipe

Although making the decision to accept a job in Kamloops, has thrown our entire life into a tailspin of the unknown, it also seems to have brought me some peace. I know this is true, because I've been cooking.

The day after I accepted the job, I baked cookies and yesterday as I chopped, stirred and simmered while listening to the words of Mackelmore I found a sense of serenity in the process that I haven't felt in ages. And this, despite the fact that I was creating food, to take with me, when I leave my family behind, albeit temporarily.

This soup is delightful. It's only slightly adapted from Janet and Greta Podleski's Multigutawnski soup and despite the presence of a slightly curry flavour, quinoa and apples my husband loves it, as does everyone whom I've ever fed it to. This soup is flavourful but not overwhelming, light but filling and the smell is delectable.

After over four years of cooking for children, I tend to chop my vegetables small so that its easy to eat, and in this particular case I don't find it has any negative effect on texture. The quinoa, chicken and apples add complexity; there's no need to worry about cutting all your veggies around the same size. I actually cut my celery as small as possible because the hubs dislikes it, but I know it adds a lot of flavour that I don't want to lose out on.

Quinoa Curry Soup

(Slightly Adapted from The Looneyspoons Collection by Janet and Greta Podleski)
gluten-free, dairy-free, soy-free, nut-free

Ingredients:

• 1 tbsp oil
• 1 cup finely chopped celery
• 1 cup diced onions
• 1 cup diced carrots
• 1 tsp minced garlic
• 1 lb of boneless, skinless chicken thighs (approx 6)
• 1.5 tsp grated ginger
• 2 tsp curry powder
• 1 tsp chili powder
• 1/2 tsp ground cumin
• 1/8 tsp ground cloves
• 4 cups chicken stock
• 1- 540ml can diced tomatoes (I like Alymers accents, olive oil and garlic)
• 1/2 cup quinoa
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp pepper
• 1 large apple peeled and chopped
• 1 - 400ml can coconut milk*

Directions:

1. Heat oil over medium-high heat, and sautee vegetables and garlic until tender and softened. About 6 minutes.
2. Meanwhile, thinly slice (approximately 5mm) the chicken thighs lengthwise. You should end up with strips of chicken thigh.
3. Add chicken to the softened vegetables and cook until the chicken is no longer pink.
4. Add ginger and spices and cook until fragrant and the chicken, vegetables are well coated. (2-3 minutes)
5. Add chicken broth, tomatoes, quinoa, salt and pepper. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to medium-low, cover and simmer for 15 minutes.
6. Add chopped apple and simmer 5 more minutes, until the apple is tender but not mushy.
7. Add coconut milk and simmer 1 more minute.
8. ENJOY!

*The original recipe calls for 3/4 cup of light coconut milk, so feel free to reduce the amount or fat content to your liking, but I use a whole can of regular coconut milk.

A New Generation of Gluten-Free Freezer Food | Kettle Cuisine All Natural Soups

Lunch is my least favourite meal of the day and as a result my meals tend to get boring and stagnant, especially when I'm at home with the boys.  So when I had the chance to warm up my winter lunches with some gluten-free soup from Kettle Cuisine, I was more than a little excited.

Kettle Cuisine is nothing like soup from a can, it truly looks and tastes like homemade, best of all not only can I read all of the ingredients on the package, they are made from whole foods and actually look like the picture on the package.  Kettle Cuisine offers both vegetarian and meat-containing products, but rest assured all meats used are naturally raised, which means they are antibiotic free and raised in a humane and sustainable manner.

Precisely what I want in pre-packaged food; nutritious and delicious as I like to say.

I had a chance to test out five of the eight Kettle Cuisine soup varieties; the tomato soup with garden vegetables, the angus beef steak chili, the chicken soup with rice noodles, the three bean chili and the new England clam chowder.  My favourites are the tomato soup and vegetable (which is suprising as I generally don't like tomato soup) and the angus steak chili, the beef was so tender and delicious.

To say I was impressed would be an understatement, I don't generally care of soups, but I couldn't get enough of Kettle Cuisine.  Paired with a sandwich, on gluten-free bread of course, Kettle Cuisine soup makes a perfect (and quick) lunch on a dreary Vancouver afternoon.

If you don't believe me, you should have seen the lineup at the Kettle Cuisine booth at the Vancouver Gluten-Free Expo.

You can find out more about Kettle Cuisine on the web, on Facebook and on Twitter.

I received Kettle Cuisine soups for the purposes of this review, however all opinions are my own.