Crockpot Veggie ‘n Quinoa Stew
Even if you’re not a vegetarian, you will fall in love with this vibrant hearty stew filled with vitamin and fiber-packed veggies, belly-filling chickpeas and gluten-free quinoa. Don’t let the long list of ingredients scare you away. Just dump everything in the crockpot early in the day and by dinner time, you’ll have a steaming hot meal that will keep you full for hours, preventing those pesky after dinner snack attacks.
Author: Linda Shapiro, © Meal Planning Maven
- 1 medium eggplant peeled, cut into chunks
- 1 yellow bell pepper cut into chunks
- 1 red bell pepper cut into chunks
- 1 orange bell pepper cut into chunks
- 1 large yellow squash cut into chunks
- 2 medium onions cut into chunks
- 1 small butternut squash peeled, seeded and cut into small cubes
- 6 plum tomatoes or 3 medium cut into chunks
- 2 bay leaves
- 2 teaspoons dried oregano
- 2 teaspoons dried thyme
- 2 teaspoons dried basil
- 3 cloves garlic chopped
- 1/2 teaspoon salt or as desired
- Freshly ground pepper as desired
- 2 28 ounce cans whole tomatoes, coarsely pureed
- 3 tablespoons tomato paste
- 1 14 ounce can chickpeas, drained
- 1/2 cup uncooked quinoa rinsed
A few minutes before serving mix in:
- 4 cups fresh baby kale or spinach
- 1/2 cup fresh chopped parsley
In a large crockpot, add all ingredients except kale or spinach and parsley.
Cook on High setting for 1 hour.
Reduce temperature to Low setting; cook for about 6 hours or until vegetables are very soft, butternut squash is very tender and quinoa is completely cooked. (Or cook on Low setting for about 8 hours.)
Taste; adjust seasonings as desired. If a thinner stew is desired, stir in up to 8 ounces reduced-sodium vegetable broth.
Before serving, remove bay leaves. Mix in baby kale or spinach and parsley. (You want the baby kale and spinach to just wilt.)
Make Ahead and Storage Tips: stew may be prepared up to 3 days ahead. Cover and refrigerate. Reheat in crockpot on Low setting for about 45 minutes or until heated through. Or, reheat on the stove, covered, in a stockpot over medium-low setting for about 20 minutes or until heated through. Stew may be frozen up to 4 months.
As crockpots vary, adjust cooking time as needed. Experiment with various spices as desired. (How about a combination of fresh ginger, cumin, coriander, and turmeric for a Moroccan twist?) Quinoa cooks beautifully in crockpots! Just toss it in with the rest of the ingredients. When the stew is done, your quinoa will be perfectly cooked!
Stovetop Directions: add all ingredients except baby kale or spinach and parsley to a large stockpot. Bring mixture to a boil; cover, reduce heat to medium-low setting. Simmer for 2 to 3 hours until vegetables are very soft, butternut squash is very tender and quinoa is completely cooked. Taste; adjust seasonings as desired. If a thinner stew is desired, stir in up to 8 ounces reduced-sodium vegetable broth. Before serving, remove bay leaves. Mix in baby kale or spinach and parsley. (You want the baby kale and spinach to just wilt.)