This is a healthy version of comfort food without the sacrifice of great taste!  I like to cook it in my crock-pot, but you can do it over the stove top too!

Recipe

1 cup mixed quinoa, rinsed

1 lb. organic chicken breast

1 onion, chopped

4 ribs celery, chopped

6 carrots, peeled and chopped

4-5 cloves of garlic, minced

8 cups organic chicken stock

2 bay leaves

2 tablespoons poultry or Italian seasoning

5 tablespoons butter

1/2 cup all-purpose flour

2 cups milk

Salt and pepper to taste

Place all ingredients into the crock-pot except for the butter, flour and milk.  Cook on low for 6-8 hours.  Shred the chicken.  In a large sauce pan melt the butter.  Add the flour and cook for 1 minute.  Slowly whisk in the milk and cook on medium high heat until bubbly and thick.  Add the milk mixture to the crock-pot and mix well.  Check your seasonings and add salt and pepper as desired.

If using a large dutch oven or pot to cook instead of a crock-pot, sauté the onions, carrots and celery for about 10 minutes in olive oil.  Cook the chicken (generously coated with olive oil, salt and pepper) in the oven at 400 degrees.  Add the seasonings, bay leaf and quinoa to your vegetables.  Add the chicken stock and cook for 20 -30 minutes until the quinoa is soft.   In a large sauce pan melt the butter.  Add the flour and cook for 1 minute.  Slowly whisk in the milk and cook on medium high heat until bubbly and thick.  Add the milk mixture to the pot and mix well.  Chop or shred the chicken, add to the soup.  Check your seasonings and add salt and pepper as desired.  Serve with homemade bread and salad.