Oh, but I love this soup!
The title it should really have is (brace yourself): A-great-tasting-clean-all-the-veggies-out-of-my-fridge-before-they-go-bad-and-a-few-things-out-of-the-pantry-too-soup. Phew!
The truth is, you can put just about any veggie into this soup, and it’s still going to taste great. But here’s the recipe that got me this fabulously huge and tasty pot of soup.
(Makes 34 servings)
You need a BIG pot for this one guys! (Crock pot users will need to cut the ingredients in half)
Ingredients
1 red onion
4 cloves garlic
1 small bunch of chives
1 medium bunch of basil
3 bay leaves
3 cans tomato sauce (no added sugar)
1 can stewed tomatoes (no added sugar)
2 cartons veggie broth (no added sugar)
6 carrots
1 package zucchini
1 small eggplant
2 cans kidney beans
1 pack frozen peas
1 pack frozen corn
1 package mushrooms
5 stocks celery
2 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
Crock pot directions:
- Be sure when you’re done combining all your ingredients in your crock pot that you have liquid up to at least 1 inch from the top, or there won’t be enough for it to cook for the required length of time.
- Follow steps 1-3, and then place everything in your crock pot. Cook on low for 5-7 hours.
- Note: Get to know your crock pot! Some newer models will cook in shorter time allotments, while older models tend to need more time (up to 1-2 hours!) Adjust cooking times appropriately.
Stove Top Directions
Step 1 – Chop all your veggies
Step 2 – Chop all your herbs
Step 3 – Saute you onions and garlic in 2 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil. Add your herbs.
Step 4 – Open your cans of tomato products and stock, and add to pot. Bring to a very soft boil.
Step 5 – Add your beans and all other veggies to the pot, and cook at a soft boil until all veggies are cooked through.
Step 6 – Allow to cool, and serve with a slice of whole wheat bread. You can also add leftover chicken to your bowl to get some protein. If you are vegetarian, add rice. The rice and beans will give you your protein.
Want to know what my secret ingredient is? Check out this itsy-bitsy carrot that got added to the pot. My son planted this in spring, and the poor thing just never got any bigger than this.
Freezer storage: Divide this soup into individual servings and freeze for up to 6 months.
Nutritional Content
1 serving = 1 cup
Calories: 80
Total Fat: 1 gm
Saturated Fats: 0 gm
Trans Fats: 0 gm
Cholesterol: 0 gm
Sodium: 468 mg
Carbohydrates: 16 gm
Dietary fiber: 4 gm
Sugars: 5 gm
Protein: 4 gm
Estimated Glycemic Load: 6
Nutritional Information estimated at Nutritiondata.com. Data may not be accurate.
Munchkin Helpers:
If you have little ones, here’s how they can help. (With close supervision, of course)
- Older kids can help with chopping the veggies.
- Younger kids can put the veggies in a big bowl as they are being chopped. (Watch out for the knife!)
- Older helpers can pour the tomato products and veggie stock into the pot with help and supervision.
Caution: Any time a child is in the kitchen, they will require close supervision. Munchkin Helpers suggestions should be applied with common sense to your own child, taking their own capabilities into account. Do not assume that because it says here that your child can do something, that they can, in fact do it. Please use common sense when in the kitchen with your child(ren).
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