Lunch: Sausage, Bean and Quinoa Soup

This hearty soup is a play on red beans and rice made with the whole grain quinoa.

Ingredients

1 Tbsp olive oil
1 onion, diced
1 green pepper, diced
1 clove garlic, minced
Nonstick cooking spray
6 oz lean smoked turkey sausage, sliced in half lengthwise and cut into 1-inch pieces
14.5-oz can no-salt-added diced tomatoes
1 cup canned no-salt-added kidney beans, rinsed and drained
16 oz fat-free, reduced-sodium chicken broth
1/2 tsp ground black pepper
1/2 tsp dried thyme
1 cup quinoa
2 1/2 cups hot water

Instructions

Add oil to a large soup pot or Dutch oven and heat over medium-high. Add onion and green pepper and sauté over medium-high heat for 5 minutes. Add garlic and sauté for 30 seconds.
Remove onion and pepper mixture from pot and set aside. Spray pot with cooking spray. Add sausage and sauté for 3-5 minutes until brown.
Add onion and peppers back to pot. Add tomatoes, kidney beans, chicken broth, black pepper, cayenne pepper if desired and thyme. Bring to a boil. Add quinoa, reduce heat to low and cover. Simmer for 15 minutes.
Remove lid and add water. Simmer for 5 more minutes.
Dietitian Tip: It’s best to serve this soup on the day it’s made. If left in the refrigerator for longer, the water and broth will be absorbed.
MAKE IT GLUTEN-FREE: Buy gluten-free chicken broth and verify that the spices, sausage and beans are gluten-free, and this dish can be made gluten-free.
Choices: 1 Starch, 1 Nonstarchy Vegetable, 1 Lean Protein, 1/2 Fat