Quinoa Vegetable Soup
Ingredients:
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
4 carrots, peeled and diced
1 medium onion, diced
4 celery stalks, thinly sliced
6 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
Sea salt and ground pepper, to taste
1 large zucchini (or 2 small ones), sliced
1 can (15.5 ounces) cannellini beans, rinsed and drained
2 cans (28 ounces each) diced tomatoes
2 cups quinoa
Ground cumin, to taste
Crushed red pepper flakes, to taste
4 cups chicken broth
A handful of kale, stems removed and leaves sliced
Juice from 1/2 a lemon
Instructions:
In a large pan, heat the extra virgin olive oil over medium-high heat.
Add diced carrots, onions, celery, and garlic to the pan. Season with salt and pepper. Cook for approximately 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are softened.
Add sliced zucchini, rinsed cannellini beans, diced tomatoes, quinoa, and chicken broth to the mixture. Season with ground cumin and crushed red pepper flakes to your liking.
Bring the soup to a boil and let it simmer for 15 minutes.
Stir in the sliced kale until it wilts.
Squeeze the juice from half a lemon into the soup and stir.
For added protein, consider incorporating rotisserie chicken. Stir to combine.
Serve and enjoy! Optionally, top each bowl with a sprinkle of ground black pepper for an extra burst of flavor.