RECIPE} Clean Chicken Quinoa Soup

Labor Day is over and Fall is around the corner. For my family, that means lots more soups! One of our favorites is Chicken noodle, but let's be honest, who needs that many carbohydrates for as often as we eat soup! So, I like to make a slight swap with quinoa, for the noodles. I also like to make this in a large batch and freeze it in smaller portions so we can pull it from the freezer for lunches or dinners whenever and it's just an easy thaw and heat for a quick, healthy meal!

Clean Chicken Quinoa Soup

INGREDIENTS:
Serves 4

1 TB Extra Virgin Olive Oil (EVOO)
1 C Chopped Onion
1 C Chopped Carrots
1 C Chopped Celery
4 1/2 C Reduced Sodium  chicken broth
2 C chicken, chopped 
1 tsp dried Basil
1 tsp dried Oregano
1 tsp Black Pepper
1 Bay Leaf
Himalayan Salt to taste
1 C Quinoa (uncooked)


DIRECTIONS:

Warm Olive Oil up in pan, on medium heat and add onion, carrots and celery, stirring constantly for about 4 minutes, until brown. 

Add Chicken broth and chicken, keeping on medium heat.  Bring to a boil and add quinoa, basil, oregano, pepper, bay leaf and Himalayan salt and let simmer on medium low until quinoa is tender and clear (about 20 minutes) - then serve!