It’s never easy to get back into your skinny jeans after baby, but it’s esp hard during the holidays!

As the weather gets colder, I love to curl up with a warm bowl of comforting soup. This quinoa minestrone is the perfect thing to satisfy my comfort cravings and I can feel good about dishing up that second bowl.

You’ve all heard about how wonderful quinoa is for you, but the truth is, I think it is really hard to make it taste yummy. This soup is my hands down favorite way to eat quinoa. The quinoa holds in shape and bite in the soup, unlike noodles that can fall apart over time.

Quinoa Minestrone:

• 2 tbsp garlic, minced
• 1 large onion, diced
• 3 carrots, diced
• 4 stalks celery, diced
• 1 red bell pepper, diced
• 1 zucchini, chopped into chunks
• 3 bay leaves
• 1 tsp italian seasoning
• 1 cup quinoa, dry
• 6 cups low sodium vegetable broth or organic chicken broth
• 1 (15 oz) can cannellini beans, rinsed and drained (or 2 cups cooked beans)
• salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• 1 can (28 oz) diced tomatoes
• 2 cups fresh spinach, chopped into thin slices (can substitute swiss chard)
• parmesan cheese, grated (optional)

Saute garlic, onion, carrots, and celery in oil until soft, 5-7 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Add red pepper and zucchini, sauté another 3-5 minutes. Add italian seasoning, salt and pepper, and bay leaves. Add broth, tomatoes, and beans. Bring to a simmer. Add quinoa, cover and simmer 15 minutes until quinoa is cooked. Stir in spinach. Serve with parmesan sprinkled over top, if desired.