(c) 1/31/13, Kathy Fannon
Last week while looking for a soup recipe in my recipe binder, I found a couple of them that sounded good. I combined elements of both and came up with this vegetable soup. It was very delicious, colorful and healthy!
As always, with the way I cook, there are two variables. The first is, add or subtract whatever you like (or don't like). Make it the way you like so you eat it! Experiment with spices and seasonings, or a new vegetable you've never tried.
The second is, I don't measure when I cook, I just eyeball it. I could never get a recipe from my mother-in-law because she'd say, "I don't know, I just dump stuff in." I've discovered this is a formula that works for me; I just dump stuff in. But I'll give you my best guess as to what I did!
Vegetable Soup
Prep: About 45 minutes
1/2 medium onion, chopped
20-ish baby carrots, chopped
2 stalks of celery, chopped
2-3 cloves of garlic, minced
Sauté onion, carrots and celery in about 2 tablespoons of olive oil for about 7 minutes.
Add garlic and sauté 1-2 minutes more.
Add:
1 box and one can of low sodium chicken broth (or vegetable broth)
14 ounce can diced fire roasted tomatoes, undrained
1 can pinto beans, drained and rinsed
To taste (I just sprinkled across the top): salt, pepper, basil, oregano, sage, thyme and a pinch of red pepper flakes
Simmer for 10 - 15 minutes
Add:
2 medium zucchini, cut into bite size (quartered)
Bring to a boil, add 1 cup of small seas shells.
Cook 8 minutes.
Turn off heat. Add 2 large handfuls of fresh spinach, allow to wilt (1-2 minutes).
Top individual servings with fresh grated parmesan cheese.
Just a thought: cooked chicken or pre-cooked quinoa might also be good in this soup. Experiment!
Read my previous post: Cheese and Crackers
Read my next post: Review: Crock-Pot Lunch Crock
