Nutritious Autumn Soup

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 1 onion, chopped
• 1 tablespoon chopped garlic
• 1 teaspoon dried sage
• 1 teaspoon dried thyme
• 8 cups vegetable broth
• 2 acorn squash - peeled, seeded, and chopped
• 2 cups water
• 1 (15 ounce) can kidney beans, rinsed and drained
• ½ cup quinoa
• ½ cup pot barley
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 1 bunch kale, stemmed and coarsely chopped

Ingredient Image

Step 1

Warm some vegetable oil in a large pot over medium-high heat. Toss in the chopped onion and cook it until it’s soft and just starting to turn golden, which usually takes about 5 to 10 minutes. Then add the garlic and sauté for another 2 to 4 minutes until it smells amazing and turns a nice golden color. Sprinkle in the sage and thyme, give everything a quick stir, and cook for about 30 seconds until the herbs release their fragrance.

Step 2

Pour in the vegetable broth along with the squash, water, kidney beans, quinoa, barley, and a pinch of salt. Bring the mixture to a boil, then lower the heat to medium-low and let it simmer gently. Cook until the barley is tender and all the flavors have melded together, about 35 minutes.

Step 3

Finally, stir the kale into the soup and keep it simmering until the kale softens up, which should take around 10 minutes. Once the kale is tender, your soup is ready to enjoy!