Semi-Organic Vegetarian Vegetable Soup

• 1 T minced sweet onion
• 1 T extra virgin olive oil
• 1 large carrot, peeled and diced
• 1 stalk celery, diced
• 2 small red potatoes, diced, skin on
• 1 medium yellow squash, diced
• 1/2 cup canned diced tomatoes with juice
• 1 15.5 ounce can great northern beans, drained and rinsed
• 3 handfuls fresh baby spinach leaves
• garlic powder, to taste
• pinch dried parsley
• pinch dried thyme
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 quart vegetable stock or broth
• Salt and white pepper, to taste

Makes about four healthy servings.

1. In a small stockpot heat olive oil until hot.  Add the carrot, celery and onion.  Reduce heat to medium and saute for several minutes.
2. Add salt, white pepper, garlic powder, and thyme.
3. Add the potatoes and continue sauteing for 1-2 minutes.
4. Add the yellow squash and saute for another 1-2 minutes.
5. Add vegetable stock and bay leaf.  Bring to a boil then reduce to a simmer.
6. Add the beans, tomatoes, and spinach.
7. Simmer until the vegetables are soft.
8. Adjust your seasonings.  Add parsley.
9. Serve this soup with grated Parmesan cheese on the side.

I typing this as fast as I can.  Before I forget.

The Boss is sick.  Last night I made chicken soup.  When you’re sick you have to have chicken soup.  There was enough leftover for lunch.  So we’ve had chicken soup, raisin bran, chicken soup for the last three meals.  The Boss has a sore throat.  As I’m typing I hear coughing.  Well, time for soup again.

A high quality vegetable soup is the end result of the ingredients you have on hand.  The other key issue is balance, hence the small amount of spinach leaves and just a half cup of diced tomatoes.  This recipe is semi-organic because most of the ingredients were organic but some were not.

Tips

I kind of tossed this together and surprisingly, it tasted fine.  Next time mushrooms.  I used low sodium organic broth.  The Boss didn’t add any additional salt but I added a dash and it really helped.  Use vegetables you have on hand.  I bought a green squash but didn’t use it.  I also decided to leave out peas and corn.  Try different beans.  Chickpeas or kidneys would work well.

A salad on the side and crusty bread would make this a meal.

But so would a nice ribeye.