Vegetable Soup With a Taco Twist

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I prepared the vegetables and cooked the onion in a little olive oil. Then, one by one, I added the remaining ingredients, starting with the taco meat. But soup was thinner than anticipated, so I checked the pantry again, and found a box of white quinoa. Originally from Peru, this tiny grain is packed with protein.
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The quinoa added body to the soup and almost turned it into chunky chili. To enhance the taco flavor, I added some garlic powder, half a packet of commercial seasoning, and some oregano. The kitchen smelled wonderful. "What are you making," my husband asked. "Whatever it is, it smells really good."
"Well, I'm not sure what I'm making," I replied. "I think it is vegetable soup with a taco twist. The soup smelled and tasted delicious. It was even more delicious after we crumbled some Mexican chips and shredded cheese on top. Half a pound of ground beef was enough for us, but you may add more if you wish.
Are you trying to get family members to eat more vegetables? This taco take-off may be just the recipe you need.
Ingredients
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/2 pound 93% lean ground beef
1 medium onion, finely chopped
26-ounce carton of chicken stock
2 medium carrots, peeled and sliced
1 1/2 ribs celery, sliced
14.5-ounce can of petite cut tomatoes in juice (I swished out the can with a little water.)
1 cup frozen tiny peas
1 cup frozen corn
1 teaspoon low sodium salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon oregano (Mexican, if you have it)
1 tablespoon taco seasoning (or more if you like)
1/3 cup white quinoa
Mexican chips of your choice
Mexican cheese (combination of four shredded cheeses)
Method
Pour olive oil into soup kettle. Saute chopped onions until they are transparent. Crumble ground beef into pan and cook for four minutes. Add all remaining ingredients. Cover and simmer over low heat for 20 minutes or so, until the quinoa is completely cooked. Check the seasoning and add more salt if needed. Serve immediately with Mexican chips and cheese. Makes 6-8 hearty servings.
           



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