Name: Minestrone with rainbow chard and quinoa
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 30 min
Total time: 45 min
Yield: 4 - 6
Ingredients: 1 tbsp olive oil; 2 celery stalks, diced; 1 red onion, finely chopped; 1 carrot, diced; 3 small garlic cloves, finely chopped; 2 tsp fennel seeds; 1 tsp dried chilli flakes; 1 litre (4 cups) chicken or vegetable stock; 400 gm canned cherry tomatoes; 6 thyme sprigs; 2 rosemary sprigs; 60 gm quinoa, rinsed; ½ bunch rainbow chard, stalks finely chopped and leaves coarsely chopped; 400 gm canned chickpeas, drained and rinsed; 1 small head broccoli, cut into florets

Minestrone is packed with vegetables, and the addition of quinoa in place of the usual pasta or rice gives this version a protein boost. Try substituting the rainbow chard with English spinach or the broccoli with cauliflower, too.

Ingredients

1 tbsp olive oil

2 celery stalks, diced

1 red onion, finely chopped

1 carrot, diced

3 small garlic cloves, finely chopped

2 tsp fennel seeds

1 tsp dried chilli flakes

1 litre (4 cups) chicken or vegetable stock

400 gm canned cherry tomatoes

6 thyme sprigs

2 rosemary sprigs

60 gm quinoa, rinsed

½ bunch rainbow chard, stalks finely chopped and leaves coarsely chopped

400 gm canned chickpeas, drained and rinsed

1 small head broccoli, cut into florets

Method

1.Heat oil in a large saucepan over medium heat, add celery, onion, carrot and garlic and stir occasionally until softened and light golden (5-7 minutes). Add fennel seeds and chilli and stir until fragrant (1-2 minutes), then add stock, tomatoes and herbs, season to taste and bring to the boil. Reduce heat to medium and simmer until well flavoured (8-10 minutes). Add quinoa, stir once to prevent it sticking, then simmer until par-cooked (5 minutes). Add chard stalks and simmer until slightly softened (2 minutes), then add leaves, chickpeas and broccoli and simmer until tender and quinoa is cooked (2-3 minutes). Remove herb sprigs, season to taste and serve.

Maxwell Adey Senior Food Editor & Stylist

Maxwell has always been passionate about food. Born into a restaurateur and award-winning produce farming family, he was strongly steered into pursuing a career in advertising after completing his Bachelor of Public Communication at University of Technology, Sydney. After a very short stint, he decided to enrol in Commercial Cookery at TAFE to follow his true passion. Maxwell started out working in some of Sydney’s finest restaurants (Est., Claude’s and Moon Park) which helped further his love of all things culinary and developed his technical ability to cook. Later, he was lured into the magical world of food publishing where he freelanced for ten years for notable Australian commercial and editorial brands. He has also run his own business where he sells his marinated olives, dressings and sauces at food markets and select retailers. He excitingly joins the Gourmet Traveller team to bring his technical and creative expertise in food to the brand.

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Styling by Rosie Meehan

Ingredients

Method

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