Sometimes – when it comes to meals -  you just know you have stumbled onto a winner. And not even when you are sitting down enjoying the finished product. No – it is when you come across the recipe and can just ‘feel’ that it will be a hit. I had one of these moments on the weekend. We’d had a big yum cha brunch, and our appetites by dinner were still far from raging. I flicked through a recent copy of the Healthy Food Guide (one of my favourites) and found a recipe for a tomato quinoa soup that immediately appealed. Then, with a few of my own tweaks, we soon found ourselves huddled over big bowls of steaming soup with the Season 4 finale of Breaking Bad on the TV. A perfect Sunday night really. But back to that soup. I loved how full of vegetables this soup was. Carrot, celery, tomatoes – and I added some broccoli for good measure. Into a pot with stock, herbs and garlic… and then simmered for 20 minutes or so (until the veggies were soft). Then out came my trust stick-blender – converting the mix into a thick, hearty soup. And the real winner?   Ladling the soup over some quinoa that I had prepared separately – providing extra bulk and a bit of a protein kick. I topped the soup with a mixture of shredded basil, parsley and mint, and seasoned well with black pepper. And the final star of the show? Some gorgeously-chewy olive sourdough – from a favourite bakery. I know soup gets a bad wrap (kinda like salads in the warmer months) but I truly love them for their versatility, ease and the fact they can be thrown together so quickly. And this soup had even Mr BBB convinced! Tomato & Veggie Quinoa Soup – Makes 2 generous serves

• olive oil
• 1 carrot, diced
• 1 celery stalk, diced
• 1 small head of broccoli, broken into florets
• 2 cloves garlic
• 1 tsp dried oregano
• 1 can diced tomatoes
• 1 cup vegetable stock
• 1 cups water
• 1-2 tbs fresh basil leaves, torn
• 1cup cooked quinoa
• Fresh herbs to serve – I used shredded mint, basil and parsley

1. Heat oil in a medium saucepan. Add the vegetables, garlic and oregano, and sauté for a few minutes or until the vegetables start to soften.
2. Add the tomatoes, stock, water and basil – and simmer for 20 minutes.
3. Puree using a stick blender, then season with pepper to taste.
4. Divide the quinoa between serving bowls. Spoon over the soup, and sprinkle with extra herbs.

What about you? Tried any new soup combinations lately?