Nice work, Matt! I like quinoa a lot. It's got a unique "pop" texture to it. I'm not a big fan of rice as a thickener for soup myself. Maybe next time just add par cooked rice once the soup is almost finished and thicken it with a roux, puree of a starch that's in the soup (i.e. potato), breadcrumbs or a slurry if you have to.

Those muffins are a good idea for breakfast on the go.