Vegetable Quinoa and Kale Soup

Good for you or not, this is now one of my favorite soups.

Really filling, healthy and delicious with very low fat and calories per serving.

I served a couple of the Mini Whole Wheat Pumpkin Muffins with Orange Drizzle along side. The savory from the soup and the slight sweetness from the muffins was "WOW".  

A perfect flavor combo. So good! 

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Vegetable Quinoa and Kale Soup

3 slices turkey bacon

1 tbsp olive oil

1 large onion, chopped

3 carrots, chopped

2 celery stalks, chopped

2 bay leaves

1 tsp sage

Pinch red pepper flakes

Salt and Pepper

7 cups chicken broth

1/2 cup uncooked quinoa

1 15 oz can white beans, rinsed and drained

2 cups chopped kale, remove stems

2 cups chopped broccoli

Heat 1 tbsp olive oil in a Dutch oven or large pot. Chop up the bacon and brown; remove with a slotted spoon.

To the same pot add onion, carrots, celery, bay leaves, sage, red pepper flakes and a pinch of salt and pepper. Saute on med-low 5 minutes. Add broth and bring to a boil; reduce heat, cover and simmer 10-15 minutes, or until vegetables are tender.

Return to a boil and stir in quinoa, reduce heat, cover and simmer 5 minutes. Add beans, kale and broccoli and simmer covered for 15 minutes more. Stir in the reserved bacon and taste for seasoning, adding salt and pepper if desired, turn off the heat (replace cover) and let sit for 10 minutes.

Chicken and Quinoa Taco Salad

This was fabulous. I've said it before and I'll say it again, I really like quinoa. It is so good and the health benefits are huge. So are the different ways you can use it.

Worked perfectly in this taco salad.

Toasted pita chips taste great with it. So much better than chips. Just cut them into wedges; drizzle with olive oil; sprinkle with salt, pepper and oregano, and lay them out on a baking sheet. Bake in a pre-heated 400 degree oven for 12-14 minutes, turning over half way through.

Linked with Sunflower Supper Club: Weekend Potluck, Rattlebridge Farm: Foodie Friday

and Foodie Friends Linky Party.

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Chicken and Quinoa Taco Salad

1 tbsp olive oil

1 medium onion, chopped

1/2 cup corn, fresh or frozen & thawed

1 tsp chili powder

1 tsp cumin

1/2 tsp adobo, if desired

Salt and Pepper

1/2 cup cherry tomatoes, halved (plus more for topping)

1 cup quinoa, cooked*

1 15oz. can black beans, rinsed and drained

1 cup chicken, cooked and shredded

Cheddar Cheese, grated

Green Onion

Fresh chopped parsley

Creamy Chipotle Salsa

Saute onion and corn in olive oil until it starts to brown; stir in chili powder, cumin, adobo, salt and pepper. Add tomatoes, cooked quinoa and beans. Remove from heat and mix in shredded chicken.

Serve chicken mixture on a bed of fresh greens, along with cheddar cheese, fresh tomatoes, green onion and parsley. Top with the Creamy Chipotle Salsa.

Creamy Chipotle Salsa

1/2 cup Pace Picante Sauce

1/2 cup fat free sour cream

1 tbsp ranch dressing mix (dry)

1/4 cup milk, or desired consistency

1/4 tsp cumin

1/2 tsp chipotle in adobo (puree)

Juice of  1/2-1 lime, depending on juice rendered

Salt and Pepper, to taste

Stir all salsa ingredients together to blend.

*Rinse the quinoa if needed (some are pre-rinsed). I like to cook it in chicken broth, but water is fine. I think I used 1/2 cup uncooked quinoa and 1 cup chicken broth for this recipe. Follow package instructions.

Chicken and Quinoa Soup

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I don't know why I don't whip up soup for lunch more often. It's so easy, and healthy, and usually low fat, and tastes good. I could go on, but why?

Today is actually a little on the cool side, so with leftover chicken in the fridge, it just made sense.

I had been thinking about adding rice or potatoes, but then I saw the quinoa in the cabinet and knew, that was the ticket. I'm eating a cup of it as I type this, and let me tell you, it is delicious.

Quinoa has huge health benefits and is a great way to thicken up soups of all flavors.

The amount of soup I made reflected the amount of broth and chicken I had handy. It can be easily increased, as needed.

Chicken and Quinoa Soup

Serves 2-3

1 tbsp olive oil

1 small onion, chopped

1 celery stalk, chopped

3 carrots, chopped

1 bay leaf

1/4 tsp sage

1/4 tsp garlic powder

Salt and pepper

3 1/2 cups chicken stock

1/4 cup quinoa, rinse if needed

1 cup cooked chicken, chopped or shredded

Garnish with fresh chopped parsley

Heat 1 tbsp of oil in a large saucepan and sauté onion, carrots and celery, bay leaf, sage and garlic powder, with a fair pinch of salt and pepper, until vegetables start to soften, about 5 minutes.

Add chicken stock, bring to a boil. Add quinoa and simmer 15 minutes; add cooked chicken and simmer 5-10 minutes more, or until vegetables are cooked. Taste for seasoning and add more salt and pepper if necessary. How much is going to depend on the salt in your broth, if any.

Serve with fresh chopped parsley (if desired).