Sweet potatoes contrast with salty feta and sharp cilantro for a medley of
fresh flavor, while tiny quinoa grains add a fun, explosive texture to this
tasty dish. Make it in under 35 minutes and impress your friends and family.

Quinoa is an excellent vegetarian source of protein, iron, and calcium
(better than virtually all grains), and sweet potatoes supply vitamin A.
Kale, mellow but crisp, packs a powerful punch of vitamins A & C, beta
carotene, and calcium.

Sweet Potato Chowder with Feta
1 cup quinoa
8 - 9 cups water
2 bouillon cubes
2 tablespoons olive oil (or enough to thoroughly coat the bottom of your soup pot)
1 teaspoon cumin
2 cups fresh chopped kale
1 cup fresh chopped spinach
2 garlic cloves
1 large sweet potato or yam, peeled and cut into small ½ inch cubes
2 chopped leeks — white parts only.
2/3 cup crumbled feta cheese
½ cup fresh chopped cilantro

Whenever possible, use organic ingredients.

Put the quinoa in 8 cups of water, bring to a boil, lower the heat, and
simmer for 10 minutes. Strain quinoa and reserve liquid.

Meanwhile, heat the oil in a large soup pot over med-high heat while
chopping the garlic, and then the potato into cubes. Add the garlic to the
pot, and sauté for 20 seconds. Add the sweet potato, leeks and cumin. Saute
for another 4 minutes.

Add the water and bouillon (dissolved). Simmer for about 13 minutes.

Meanwhile, finish chopping the kale and spinach. Add the quinoa, kale, remaining leeks, and
simmer for 1 minute.

If water doesn’t cover all of the ingredients, add the additional cup, or more as needed.

Add the spinach and simmer for an additional 3 minutes.

Add cilantro and feta, and turn off heat. Serve!

Adapted from Vegetarian Cooking for Everyone, by Deborah Madison.