Roasted Garlic and Mushroom Quinoa Soup

For the roasted garlic:
Preheat oven to 400 F (205 C). Take the head of garlic and slice ½ inch (1.5 cm) off the top. Place garlic head in the center of a piece of foil and pour the olive oil on top. Wrap in foil and place on a baking sheet. Bake for 30-35 minutes, until soft. Remove from oven and set aside until easily handled. Cloves should easily come out from the skins.

For the soup:
Heat the olive oil in a large saucepan over medium-low heat. Add onions and cook with the lid on for 5-6 minutes, until translucent. (If pan gets too dry, add a tablespoon of water or olive oil). Add mushrooms and cook with the lid on for 5-6 minutes.

Add stock, water, quinoa, roasted garlic (the listed amount, not the entire head), thyme, salt and pepper. Bring soup to a boil and then reduce to a simmer. Cook for at least 15 minutes, until quinoa is tender. (Cook for a few more minutes if you’d like the soup thicker, but no more than 5 minutes longer). Adjust seasoning, garnish with chopped dill and grated Parmesan cheese.

Note: This soup is on the watery side. Add more quinoa or reduce the amount of water if you’d like a thicker soup.