It’s getting cold outside… Perfect day for soup! Vegetables are so good for you and this soup is the perfect way to eat them! The main protein source is beans, so it also fits in a vegetarian diet too.

Heart Healthy Vegetable Soup

Yield: 8 – 10 servings

Ingredients:

2 tablespoons olive oil
2 medium onions, chopped
3 medium carrots, thinly sliced
2 stalks celery with leaves, chopped
½ red or orange pepper, seeded and chopped
2-3 cloves garlic, minced
½ small head cabbage, chopped
2 cups fresh or frozen green beans
1 cup frozen corn
1 cup frozen peas
1 can garbanzo beans, drained
5 cups water
2 cups tomato juice
2 tablespoons vegetable soup base
1 can diced tomatoes
1 bay leaf
1 – 1 ½ teaspoons salt
½ teaspoon black pepper
1 teaspoon marjoram
1 teaspoon thyme
2 cups fresh kale, chopped

Equipment Needed:

Large soup pot or Dutch oven with lid
Cutting board
Chef knife
Paring knife
Vegetable brush
Measuring spoons
Dry & liquid measuring cups
Rubber spatula
Ladle

I love soup and it still feels like winter here in Illinois! So I went grocery shopping and bought about five different vegetables of assorted colors… they looked so good and decided to make a huge pot of soup. Soup is one of those dishes where I start with a medium sized pot and wind up dumping it in a larger pot because I have too much. Actually paid attention to what I put in it this time, as everyone always asks me for the recipe and I never know exactly what's in it!

Let’s begin…

Most of this recipe involves chopping ingredients… so get your board and chef knife ready to rock and roll! It is easy- peasy! Every vegetable is cut a little different which adds meal appeal to the final product.

Celery is cut on the bias, at a ½ inch diagonal all the way through the leaves. Why toss the leaves? I often save them in a bag in the crisper to add to soup later when I'm slicing celery for dip or garnish for sandwiches. Start to heat the olive oil in your pot or Dutch oven on medium low heat for about 4-5 minutes while chopping the onion and mincing the garlic.
Place all in the pot and move to the next veggie!

Next slice your sweet pepper …

Start my cutting the pepper in half using a paring knife and cut out the stem core, white veins and seeds. Slice lengthwise in ½ inch strips and then dice into ½ inch squares. Add to pot with sautéed onions, garlic and celery.

Now for the beans and carrots!

If using frozen beans, measure out your 2 cups. If using fresh cut off tips and stems, being sure not to waste too much bean, and half each bean so they are about 1 – 1 ½ inch in length. Remember, this is soup so it should fit on the spoon when eaten… meal appeal!
Carrots should be scrubbed with a vegetable brush. Whenever I cook carrots I try to preserve the nutrients which are in or right below the skin. Pealing removes this and soup is not fancy so I don't peel… just scrub well. Slice thinly using a knife or mandolin.
Cabbage disappears in the cooking process, so use a half a small head and slice into 1 inch slices. Cut slices the opposite direction to create 1 inch cubes of cabbage.

Assembly time…

Add the prepped beans, carrots and cabbage to pot and stir well.
Next step involves opening cans and adding frozen veggies… not difficult. Add drained garbanzos, frozen corn, peas and diced tomatoes… with juice. Stir well and sauté for a few minutes.

Now it's time to add the liquid and seasonings!

Add water, herbs, salt and pepper. Then add vegetable soup base. I prefer Better a than Bouillon as it has less preservatives, but any will do. Soup base is a staple at my house as it makes a cup of broth in minutes. I have beef, chicken, veggie and ham most of the time.
Stir your soup and bring to a boil. Turn down heat, cover and simmer for 10 minutes or until carrots are tender crisp.

Now the last steps to dinner!

Kale is the new super food… add it to everything! Chop kale by removing veins, if large, and chopping until pieces are about 1 inch. Add to simmering soup and stir well to combine. Kale is more fibrous than most greens so requires a bit more cooking to soften.
Cover the pot and simmer for ~ 7 – 10 minutes or until kale softens. Don't cook too long as the kale will turn olive green!

Dinner is served!

Make some open-faced cheese sandwiches to balance out the meal... So yummy! ENJOY!!