Greens and Grains Soup
Terrifically easy, scrumptious, and healthy meal. Particularly easy if you soak the grain all day before cooking. My new favorite dinner. Slightly adapted from the original recipe.
Servings: 2 -3
Calories: 490kcal
Ingredients
Soup
- 1 teaspoon olive oil
- 2 tablespoons quinoa rinsed
- 2 cups (1 pint ) vegetable or chicken stock hot
- ½ cup pearl barley or other grain, like farro, soaked 8-12 hours
- 5 oz (2 large handfuls/120 g) baby spinach or other leafy green hard stems removed, leaves shredded
- 2 tablespoons tahini
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- generous ⅓ cup (86 grams) nonfat Greek yogurt
Optional toppings
- 2 tablespoons almond slivers toasted
- 2 tablespoons pomegranate seeds
- or
- 1 roasted red pepper sliced
- 8-12 Kalamata olives pitted
Instructions
- Heat the olive oil in a medium saucepan, add the quinoa and toast for one minute, shaking the pan frequently, until golden.
- Add the hot stock and pearl barley, bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to a simmer. Cook until tender, the exact time will depend on your grain of choice. If you pre-soaked the grain, this should take 10 minutes. Otherwise, it will take around 45 minutes.
- Turn off the heat, add the spinach, and leave to sit in hot soup until wilted*. Mix the tahini, yogurt, lemon juice, and a little water until it becomes creamy.
- Ladle soup into bowls. Top with tahini dressing and toppings, if using.
- Serve immediately.
Notes
*Baby spinach will wilt in 1-2 minutes. Heartier greens will take longer, with chard leaves taking about 5 minutes and kale closer to 10 minutes.
Nutrition
Serving: 491g | Calories: 490kcal | Carbohydrates: 65g | Protein: 27g | Fat: 16g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Cholesterol: 5mg | Sodium: 676mg | Potassium: 1093mg | Fiber: 12g | Sugar: 6g | Vitamin A: 6805IU | Vitamin C: 33.6mg | Calcium: 248mg | Iron: 5.1mg