recipe: quinoa and vegetable stew

Tony tends to compliment my cooking in superlatives. The deep dish pizza I made the other week was his "favorite pizza ever." I made rosemary bread last weekend that was "the best bread you've ever made." (Recipe coming up.) And this quinoa and vegetable stew is his "new favorite food." Haha.

But it really is good. I usually do not eat leftovers, but I ate these leftovers for lunch the next two days.

Quinoa and Vegetable Stew

Adapted from America's Test Kitchen via USA Today

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 3/4 onion, chopped fine
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• 2 hot banana peppers, minced
• 5 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 tablespoon paprika
• 2 teaspoons coriander
• 1 1/2 teaspoons cumin
• 6 cups vegetable stock
• 1 pound red potatoes, cut into bite-sized pieces (about 1/2-inch pieces)
• 1 cup quinoa
• 1 cup frozen corn
• 28-ounce can diced tomatoes
• 1 cup frozen peas
• 1/2 cup fresh cilantro, minced

Heat olive oil in a dutch oven. Add onion and salt and cook over medium-low heat until onion is browned, about 10 minutes.

Add banana peppers and cook a few minutes until beginning to brown.

Add garlic and cook a few minutes.

Add paprika, coriander and cumin and cook about 1 minute.

Add vegetable stock and potatoes and bring to boil. Reduce to a simmer and cook 10 minutes.

Add quinoa and simmer 8 minutes.

Add corn and simmer 7 minutes.

Add tomatoes and peas and cook 5 minutes.

Off heat, stir in cilantro.

Makes 6 servings.

<3

Cute cat bonus picture!

In making this recipe, Tony and I learned that Victor likes cilantro. Here he is, eating one of the stems after I pulled the leaves off.