Minestrone Soup with Quinoa

It was a little amazing to me, but I didn't have a classic minestrone soup in my recipe box.  I had seen this recipe in my Clean Eating magazine awhile ago and saved it.  There's also a fairly decent looking recipe in the Forks Over Knives cookbook, but neither of them on their own looked fabulous.  So I meshed them together and came up with this!

After sitting down and eating a bowl-full, I realized I did actually make something similar to this.  The White Bean and Kale soup is extremely similar, but I like this better.  It made more and the flavors melded better, and there weren't any potatoes to deal with.  Oh, and the quinoa.

I loved the quinoa in this soup.  I don't know what it is about it, but it just adds another dimension to any soups it's in -- thickening it and packing a protein punch to boot.

We ate this with some delicious bread and a green salad.

Minestrone Soup with Quinoa
Serves 6-8

• 2 T olive oil
• 1 lg onion, chopped well
• 1 cup chopped carrots
• 1 cup chopped celery
• 1 T minced garlic
• 7-8 cups broth and water (I used 4 cups broth and 3 cups water, but we like our soups on the thicker side)
• 1 t each: thyme, oregano, and basil
• 1/2 cup dry quinoa, rinsed well
• 2 cans diced tomatoes, with juice
• 2 cans white beans (cannellini or great northern), rinsed and drained
• 1-2 cups frozen spinach or kale (I used 2 and it was almost too much, but it's a great way to get your greens!) OR 3-4 cups chopped, fresh
• salt and pepper to taste

-- Saute onion, carrots, celery, and garlic about 10 minutes until onions are translucent and vegetables are softening

-- add broth/water, spices, quinoa, and tomatoes.  Bring to a boil, reduce heat, cover and simmer 20 minutes until quinoa is done (little "tails" are fully showing)

-- Add beans and spinach and cook an additional 4-5 minutes until greens are wilted/heated and entire soup is heated through

-- Season as desired with salt and pepper