The inspiration for this meal was easy. I wasn’t feeling well and my mom wasn’t near by to come and make me chicken soup. (The horror!) So I did what any other sick girl would do. I rolled up my sleeves, chopped up some veggies, poured some beans into a pot, and snuggled up on the couch with Henry while my soup simmered.
I think the effects of our cross country move have finally caught up with us. Taylor and I haven’t really had a moment since we’ve arrived in Hood River to sit down and actually take this all in. We got straight to work at the farm and I have spent many afternoons pounding the pavement looking for a winter job. We don’t have good friends near by (they are all an hour away) and I think we are finally letting ourselves feel the “realness” of this all. We are both suffering from nasty colds and feel a bit lonely. This is not a complaint, it’s just an observation. I know we will be fine, and I am actually glad we are finally slowing down and letting ourselves feel it all.
This soup tasted so good to us. It actually felt like one giant bear hug! We needed this so badly.
African Curried Coconut Soup with Chickpeas (adapted from Joanne from eats well with others)
2 14 oz cans of chickpeas, drained and rinsed
1 cup quinoa
2 tbs extra virgin olive oil
1 large yellow onion, finely chopped
1 red bell pepper, seeded and finely chopped
1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and diced
2 cloves of garlic, diced
2 tomatoes, finely chopped
2 tbs curry powder
1 tsp salt
dash of pepper
3 cups veggie stock (or chicken stock)
2 cups kale, stems removed and chopped
1 14 oz can of light coconut milk
Cook the quinoa according to package directions.
In a large soup pot heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the onion and peppers. Cook for about 5 minutes. Add the garlic. And cook for about 3 more minutes.
Add the broth, chickpeas, tomatoes, curry powder, salt and pepper to the soup pot. Bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce to a simmer and cook for about 15 minutes stirring occasionally. Add the kale and stir until wilted.
Add the coconut milk and cooked quinoa. Stir. Serve warm and enjoy!
Ah, Andrea, wish I were there to give you a hug…..You amaze me how, even when you don’t feel good, you still are inspired to cook something up that LOOKS sooooo good. You, Taylor, and Henry take care of yourselves….Love you….from your Montana aunt, Patty (where we have about 2 feet of snow and it’s still snowing!!!!)
Thanks Patty! I hope the snow is treating you guys well! I think we may get some soon too! Thanks again for reading the blog! XOXOX
Hope you ALL feel better soon. Your postings are so wonderful to read and I admire your efforts! I still would like to know if Henry eats dog food or if you add vegs to his diet. He is one handsome dog!
He eats regular dog food, but he eats a lot of veggies as well. He loves sweet potatoes and carrots!!!
Not sure how I stumbled upon your blog, but I’m so glad I did! Just finished making the Quinoa Rosemary Patties, and now I see the wonderful recipe for “soup for the soul”. AND…I have ALL of the ingredients on hand! Be well (and take care of your immune system!)
So happy you found the blog! thanks for reading along!
Made the African Curried Coconut Soup with Chickpeas last night; big hit back here in Boston as the weather has turned frigid! Thanks for the recipe.
You! I fell in love with your blog a few years ago when I moved to Oregon and onto a raw milk dairy. I moved back to Kansas about a year ago and have been busy doing other things-and your blog fell off my radar. This morning I looked at some beautiful heirloom beans and thought “where am I my going to find the perfect recipe”… and then I remembered Dishing Up the Dirt! Your blog has grown and changed so much and congratulations on the new cookbook!! This might not mean a whole lot, since we’ve never met, but I’m very proud of you. You are a strong, sincere and creative woman who is loved by many! Keep it up, Andrea and I will certainly stay posted.