Creamy Potato-Spinach Soup and Swiss Chard with Toasted Quinoa and Tomato

What's for dinner?

Thanks to The Runner's World Cookbook, we cooked up an excellent Pre-run, Vegetarian, Low-calorie meal last night.  Check this out:

Before you even start cooking, be your own sous-chef and enjoy kitchen-time by cleaning and chopping your ingredients.  Especially when you are trying a new recipe, it's great to have all the pieces prepped before you turn on your stove.

Creamy Potato-Spinach Soup:
Prep the following:

• Chop 1 onion
• Dice 1 potato 
• Juice one lemon

 Heat 2 teaspoons olive oil in a large pot over medium heat.  Add the onion and saute until soft.  Add 4 cups vegetable broth, 1 box (10 ounces) frozen spinach (thawed, but retain the juices), the chopped potato, and one teaspoon ground cumin.  Bring the soup to a boil and then reduce the heat and simmer for about 15 minutes.

Carefully use an immersion blender to puree the soup.  (You may also use a blender, but take great care in the transferring of this very hot mixture.)

Add the juice of one lemon and 1/2 cup plain Greek yogurt.  Stir to combine.
 

Swiss Chard with Toasted Quinoa and Tomato:
Wash, prep, and set the following aside:

• Chop 1/2 cup red onion
• Mince 2 cloves garlic
• Wash and chop about 6 cups of Swiss Chard (about 1/2 a pound)--remove the stems and chop, then wash and slice the leaves.  So pretty.  
• Dice 1 large tomato

Heat 1 T olive oil in a medium pot over medium-high heat.  Add 1 cup of plain quinoa and toast--stirring occasionally for about 4 minutes.  Add  3 cups water, reduce the heat to low and simmer for 15 minutes.  (Do not cover.)

Heat another tablespoon of olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat.  Add the onion and chard stems, when they start to soften, add the garlic and continue sauteing (total of about 5 minutes).  Add the chard leaves and cook for about 4 more minutes (chard will wilt).  Add the tomato and cook until heated through.

Fold in the quinoa.  Season with salt and pepper and fold in about 1/3 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese.


If you like these recipes, you can find more in The Runner's World Cookbook:  150 Ultimate Recipes for Fueling Up and Slimming Down- While Enjoying Every Bite.