Soup!

I have a weekly tradition of making homemade vegetable soup and love getting creative with what we have in the kitchen.  Having soup on hand is great as the weather has turned colder.  My soups are low fat, chocked full of veggies and so much cheaper than buying cans of soup from the store.

Here are some general things I follow when making my soups...

1. I start with a big stock pot and only fill it halfway of water - more than that makes for soup that is too watery.  I kind of eye ball the soup as I am adding ingredients.  If I think it could be a little bit thicker I add something else. 
2. Bringing the soup to a simmer for about 20 minutes makes it more flavorful and reduces the broth so the soup is the right consistency.
3. Buillion cubes are great for flavor and for creating the base of the soup.  I put two in my water and bring it to a boil.  Then I add whatever vegetables I have on hand.
4. I always put some kind of bean in my soups for protein.  My favorites are black eyed peas, black beans, lima beans and navy beans.
5. The smaller I cut up my veggies, the more flavorful the soup tends to be.
6. Frozen or fresh - I use it all when it comes to veggies.
7. Broccoli, peas and spinach go a long way in flavor...don't add a ton of these.
8. Stewed or diced canned tomatoes really round out the flavor and I always add them if I have them.

Here is a recipe that my husband, Rudy, LOVED.  I wrote down the recipe so I could make it again.

Ingredients:

• 1 tablespoon garlic salt
• 2 chicken buillion cubes
• 5 cups water or fill your pot halfway with water
• 1/2 small bag of frozen broccoli, chopped
• 1/2 small bag of shoepeg corn
• 2 carrots finely chopped
• 1 small onion finely chopped
• 3 large red potatoes chopped
• 3 celery stalks (including leaves) finely chopped
• 1/2 cup white or brown rice

Directions:

• Bring all ingredients to a boil in a large stock pot.  Reduce and simmer 20-30 minutes until all veggies are tender and rice is cooked.