Get Well Soon Veggie Bean & Quinoa Soup - Vegan. Gluten Free. No Oils.

So, you said you would watch how you ate over the holiday, but, well, you know, it WAS the holiday!  And now you feel kind of punky. Icky. Not 100%. Not great. (and the 6,000 other ways Canadians have to say "unwell"-- we are such a stoic breed).

Here is a flavour-full, very restorative and comforting soup that is maybe slightly reminiscent of the soup you ate as a child when your "Old Country" Auntie found you were malingering.  Maybe you didn't like the garlic so much then, but now that you are considering being a life-long healthy plant-strong soul, you kinda like the savoury tang and bite of cooked garlic.

And if you got an Instant Pot  for Christmas, here is the chance to see it do its pressure-cooking wizardry in a much shorter time than you would need if you were standing up over a stock pot.  However, if you don't have an Instant Pot, the stock pot-- or even a slow cooker-- will do the trick.  I will give you three versions to cook this: (1)Stock Pot (2)Instant Pot (3) Slow Cooker

For the stock/broth ingredient I highly recommend the recipe for the Best Golden Soup Bouillion that you may have frozen in cubes ready to go.  If you haven't made that yet, don't worry-- just go with whatever broth or bouillion you were going to use.  But if you want to upgrade to better flavour and more nutrients, you might want to "do some cooking for your freezer" as my friend Brigitte used to describe all the cook-ahead meals she made when her kids were young-- plan to do some of the bouillion cubes because they last quite a while and are really terrific (not to mention cheaper than the deluxe organic stuff you might buy elsewhere).

Two other notes:  The cooked beans that I use are from a huge batch I cook up from scratch in my Instant Pot .  They are the creamy consistency that we like in our house.  I also use white beans other than chick peas, which you can also use.  I find that chick peas don't always digest optimally for me-- don't know if that is an experience anyone else has.  The original recipe in my fave The Great Vegan Bean Book: More than 100 Delicious Plant-Based Dishes Packed with the Kindest Protein in Town! - Includes Soy-Free and Gluten-Free Recipes! (Great Vegan Book) does call for chick peas, so the choice is yours!  Of course, you can also use beans that come in a can, cooked, already to go.  

I recently changed the rice to quinoa in this recipe.  If you want to revert to the rice in the original recipe  please do.

INGREDIENTS FOR GET WELL SOON VEGGIE BEAN & QUINOA SOUP

• 5 Medium-Large Organic Carrots, washed and sliced in 1/2 rounds (peel if not organic)
• 2 Ribs, ends trimmed, of diced Celery
• 7 Garlic Cloves, minced
• 2 Cubes Best Golden Soup Bouillion or 1/4 C. (24 g) Veggie Broth/Bouillion
• 1 tsp.    Thyme, ground
• 1/4 tsp. Rosemary, ground (or a fresh sprig if you have it)
• 3 C. (492 g) cooked White Beans (I use Cannelini Beans)-- about 2 cans (15 oz each)
• 10 C. (2.4 L) Water (only 8 - 9 C./4.25 L for the Instant Pot)
• 1 C. Quinoa (uncooked)
• 1/2 C.  Nutritional Yeast
• Salt and Pepper to taste

STOCK POT On-the-Stove DIRECTIONS:

1. In large stock pot, add all above ingredients, except for Nutritional Yeast, Salt and Pepper
2. Bring the ingredients to a boil on high heat, and then turn heat to low.
3. Cook about 20 -30 minutes until the quinoa is done.
4. Stir in Nutritional Yeast and seasonings and taste to see if they suit.  Add more if needed.
5. Remove any sprigs.
6. Serve.
7. Freeze any extra for another meal.  I use silicone muffin tins to freeze and then place the frozen cubes into a baggie in my freezer.   2-3 regular muffin cubes or 1-2 Texan size (see below) make a good size individual soup.  Great for other food portions for freezing too.
8. If you like, add more minced raw garlic before freezing to boost yourself into wellness more.

Silicone Texas Muffin Pans and Cupcake Maker, 6 Cup Large, Professional Use, Plus Muffin Recipe Ebook

Instant Pot Directions for the Get Well Soon Veggie Bean & Rice Soup Recipe  

1. Put the Instant Pot on to the Sauté setting, and add about an inch+ of water to the bottom of the pot.
2. Add in the Carrots and Celery, stirring for about 3-4 minutes to soften
3. Add in the Garlic, Thyme, Rosemary and Bouillion or Broth and continue to stir for another minute
4. Add in the Quinoa and Beans and stir everything together as you add the 8- 9 Cups of Water.  
5. Put the lid on the Instant Pot, and close the steam vent.
6. With the MANUAL setting, set the cooking for HIGH Pressure and the time for about 22-25 minutes.  
7. The pot will take about 15-20 minutes to build pressure before starting the cooking process.  
8. When the time has run out, let it naturally vent for about 10 minutes, then give it a quick release until the lid releases.
9. When you have removed the lid, add in the Nutritional Yeast and seasonings.  Taste and add more if desired.  Sometimes I just let the individuals add their own salt and pepper.
10. Serve and Store the extra in the muffin tins in the freezer.  (As above recipe, you may choose to add extra minced garlic just to give you another boost tomorrow!.)

Yep, this is my old well-used Instant Pot--
see the wide variety available through Amazon

SLOW COOKER DIRECTIONS FOR MAKING THE GET WELL SOON SOUP:

1. You need to use 3 C. of cooked Brown Rice for this recipe.  So, measure out about 1 1/2 C. - 2 C. of raw brown rice, and cook it up as per your usual recipe.  Hey, sorry!  But you use less water (only 8 C.) in the slow cooker, and it will look very pretty when done (not muddy).  Raw rice takes a significant time to break down as it cooks, so that is why the pressure-cooking and steam-pressure work so well in cooking it.
2. So, if you are still gung ho to do this, go ahead and add everything EXCEPT the cooked rice (the stuff you just cooked-- put it in the fridge), the Nutritional Yeast and the salt and pepper.  
3. Cook 6-8 hours on LOW.
4. Add the cooked brown rice.
5. Add the Nutritional Yeast and the salt and pepper.  Taste and adjust if needed.
6. Add extra minced garlic if you think it needs the extra boost.
7. Store extra as above recipe.

Please note:  the Instant Pot has its own SLOW COOK mode.... so..... 

                               Watch Above: How To Use Your Instant Pot as a Slow Cooker