Vanishing Vegetable Soup

I love soup, and I love cooking it. However, sometimes the recipes end up being rather blah, and I’m left staring down a pot of leftovers thinking “meh.” I don’t want to eat that, and it ends up in the garbage disposal, which hurts my soul. I hate throwing food away.

But, true to my incomparably stubborn nature, I keep trying. And trying. Instead of following a recipe exactly as written, I have also begun taking a few liberties, using my imagination and whatever ingredients I have on hand that might work out. This vegetable soup recipe originally called for either beef or chicken, but I decided to use nothing but veggies.

The result? By the end of the second day, there wasn’t a spoonful of leftovers in sight. My husband and I ate the entire pot, and the garbage disposal had to go hungry. That’s when I knew I had a hit on my hands. Or at least in my soup pot.

I cleaned out the fridge and added two additional veggies that had been sitting in the crisper–broccoli and asparagus. I figured if it ruined the soup, so be it. Been there, done that. But obviously it didn’t. So, in the spirit of experimentation and cleaning out your fridge, feel free to add whatever vegetables float your boat. And do let me know how it turns out!

Ingredients:

32 oz beef broth

1 14 oz can diced tomatoes, with juices

2 cups shredded cabbage

3 medium potatoes, cubed (I leave the skins on for their extraordinary health benefits)

3 carrots, chopped

3 celery stalks, chopped

10 stalks asparagus, cut into bite size pieces

2 cups broccoli florets

1 medium onion, chopped

3 gloves crushed garlic

1 TBS Italian seasoning

1 TBS crushed basil

1 can white kidney beans, rinsed and drained

salt and pepper to taste before serving

Directions:

In a large pot combine beef broth, undrained tomatoes, cabbage, potatoes, carrots, celery, onion, asparagus, broccoli, garlic, Italian seasoning, and basil. Bring to boiling, then reduce heat and simmer, covered, for 20-30 minutes until vegetables are tender.

Add beans, cook and stir for 3-5 minutes before serving. Cook’s tip: I make the soup early in the day, let the flavors blend, and reheat it before serving. It’s even better the second day. That is, if you have any leftover. Enjoy!