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.
Ingredients
- 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
Instructions
- 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.)
Notes
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.)
