Chickpea, Tomato, and Quinoa Soup

Oh me. Oh my. Yum. That is all I can really say! I love love love this!

Chickpea, Tomato, and Quinoa Soup (4 Servings)

½ cup quinoa

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 medium onion, chopped

1 carrot, halved lengthwise and cut into ½ -inch lengths

1 celery stalk, diced

2 chipotle peppers

4 garlic cloves, chopped

Salt and pepper

2 bay leaves

2 teaspoons sweet paprika

1 teaspoon ground cumin

4 cups vegetable broth

1 can (14.5 oz) crushed tomatoes

1 can (15 oz. or 1 ¾ cups) chickpeas, drained and rinsed if canned

¼ cup chopped flat leaf parsley, for garnish

In a Dutch oven or large soup pot, heat oil over medium.  Add onion, carrot, celery and garlic.  Season with salt and pepper, and cook for 5 min.  Add bay leaves, paprika, cumin, quinoa, broth and 1 cup water.  Bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer, and cook for about 20 minutes, or until quinoa is tender and the seed has opened up (each quinoa seed will look like it has a translucent halo around it when it's cooked completely; it will still be a little chewy).  Add tomatoes and chickpeas and cook for 20 minutes or until flavors have blended.  Discard bay leaves and sprinkle with chopped parsley before serving.