Veggie Soup with Quinoa

This is just another random soup I threw together, but Veggie Soup with Quinoa sounds like a more appetizing title.  ;-)  It's still hot outside (I had the a/c running all day, set at 77 degrees), but I wanted soup.  Again.  I'm crazy, I know.  A big hearty bowl of veggie soup sounded so appetizing this afternoon, so that's what I made.

Veggie Soup with Quinoa

Ingredients:

• 1 tablespoon coconut oil
• 1/2 onion, sliced
• 1 cup dry quinoa, rinsed and drained
• 4 cups water
• 8 oz. sliced crimini mushrooms
• 1 (15 oz.) can of petite diced tomatoes
• 1 (14 oz.) can of artichoke hearts, drained and quartered
• 1 (15 oz.) can of red kidney beans, rinsed and drained
• 1 teaspoon dried basil
• 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
• a few dashes of Worcestershire sauce
• salt & pepper to taste
• 1/2 cup grated parmesan, plus some for garnish
• 1 small bunch of kale, washed, rinsed and chopped

Directions:

• In a large pot, melt the coconut oil over medium heat and sweat the onions.  Add the quinoa and stir for a minute.  Add the rest of the ingredients, except for the parmesan and kale.  Bring to a boil, then reduce to simmer and cook, uncovered, for about 20 minutes until the quinoa is tender.
• Add the parmesan and chopped kale.  Stir and cook for about 5 minutes until the kale softens.  Adjust salt & pepper as necessary.
• Ladle into bowls and top with a sprinkle of grated parm.

I would have loved some crusty bread to go with this, but I didn't have any.  So I used some warm naan.  Yum.