Pumpkin Quinoa Kale Soup

I have re-fallen in love with Trader Joe’s. It is a great place to buy foods that are both convenient and healthy. There are so many delicious and nutritious options!

If you are into the pumpkin craze, then you will love this soup. It is a new go to at our house.

Four ingredients. So easy. Dinner in 5 minutes.

Ingredients

• 1 box Trader Joe’s Pumpkin Soup (480 ml)
• 1.5 cups Trader Joe’s Quinoa (pre-cooked)
• 1-2 cups Trader Joe’s Lacinato Kale (chopped & bagged)
• 1 tsp olive oil (for sautéing kale)

Note – You can certainly cook your own quinoa and chop up your own kale. The pre-prepped varieties at TJ’s just makes it that much faster if you are in a time crunch.

Preparation Instructions

1. Heat soup on stovetop or in microwave.
2. Microwave quinoa.
3. Sauté kale in olive oil.
4. Add quinoa and kale to soup & enjoy!

Serving Suggestion – I added a bit of cinnamon and a dash of extra salt to mine. Yum!

    

Fuel Facts

Numbers – 275 calories, 8 gm protein, 7 gm fat, 50 gm carbohydrate, 6 gm fiber

**This is for half of the recipe (1 cup of soup + ¾ cup quinoa + ½ cup sautéed kale)

Ingredient Breakdown:

Pumpkin – This fall favorite is high in nutrients and low in calories, making it the perfect base for soups, baked goods, etc. Pumpkin is most notable for its beta-carotene content, an antioxidant that gives the squash its orange color. Beta-carotene converts to vitamin A in the body and is attributed to improving eyesight and boosting immunity.

Quinoa – The grain was once used to boost stamina in ancient Aztec warriors. Both a complex carbohydrate and complete protein source, quinoa is a great carbohydrate source to fuel up with before physical activity.

Kale – You won’t hear me use the word “super” food very often, because I believe all foods contribute their own, unique healing powers. That being said, if there was one food to eat more of, it would be kale. Studies continue to show kale’s ability to lower the risk for cancer, prevent inflammation and even act as a detoxifier at the genetic level. Bottom line… eat more kale.