Sausage Quinoa & Roasted Veggie Soup

 

This soup is not for the faint at heart. No...this soup is chocked full of nutrients and protein. This soup is soup for people who love their bodies and respect their souls.

Yes, it's that good.

I don't usually brag on my food (lies!) but I made this soup wanting to have some relief against the cold front that hit Baltimore. Even I was surprised at how good it turned out.

Nik's Sausage Quinoa & Roasted Veggie Soup

• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 1 large clove of garlic, minced (If you like garlic. If not, feel free to omit!)
• 1 pkg. low-fat turkey smoked sausage, diced
• 4 c. Swiss Chard, washed and torn into pieces (you could also use spinach...or kale...or even collard greens...customize!)
• 1 + 3 c. water
• 2 more tomatoes, cored
• 4 cups roasted veggies of your choice (I used eggplant, red peppers, tomatoes, onions & garlic). Here's how to roast those veggies!
• 1 c. uncooked quinoa
• Salt, pepper & 1 tsp Herbs de Provence (you can also use Italian seasoning)

Directions:

Set a large pot coated with nonstick cooking spray over medium heat. Add onion and cook until lightly browned then add garlic until fragrant.

Add sausage and cook until browned. Add Swiss Chard and one cup of water. Stir to loosen up any bits at the bottom of the pot and let the water to come to a simmering boil.

Add whole tomatoes and cover for about 5 minutes. Remove cover and remove tomato skin. At this point you should be able to mash the tomato with a potato masher.

Add additional 3 c. water, roasted veggies and quinoa. Stir well. Cover pot and allow it to cook about 25 minutes or until chard is wilted and quinoa is fully cooked (here's how to tell). Remove from heat and cover for an additional 10 minutes.

Ohhhh...was this comforting on a cool, fall night. The little diva and I lapped this up! Her with a slice of Texas Toast...me...without (it's all about trade-offs right?).

So, since I'm in a chatty mood as I type this, a few notes:

• NEWBIES: You might want to skip the quinoa and please wait until you are cleared for tomatoes! The recipe works fine without the quinoa, just use one less cup of water.
• VEGETARIANS: I think this would work just fine with vegetarian sausage. I like the smoky flavor so I would suggest using something to replace that.
• VETERANS: This will fill your BELLAY!!!! Go make it!

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