All purpose veggie soup

Don't let this "all purpose" soup fool you.. it's colorful, delicious, and definitely has a kick. It's like the absolutely perfect "vegetable soup". Josh made it tonight from "The Thug Kitchen 101" cookbook. I had made some homemade veggie broth from some veggie scraps (giving some "waste" an extra life before composting) and it absolutely has been the best broth we've ever had. Adding it to this soup definitely added many more dimensions of flavor. To make your own veggie broth from scraps see my recipe here, but you can used store bought too if it's easier. If you need soup with a little edge to cure a cold, warm you on a cold night, or just create a hearty but not overly heavy meal, this soup is perfect (and easy!). The coolest thing about it is the ingredients are flexible and you can use whatever you have on hand.



Ingredients:

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 chopped onion

2 chopped carrots, or 1-2 cups of mixed veggies of choice (use whatever's in your fridge, like bell peppers, parsnips, celery, mushrooms leeks or zucchini)

3 cups of dime sized pieces of potato, sweet potato, butternut squash or turnip

3 cloves garlic

1 teaspoon dried basil

1 teaspoon dried thyme

1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes

1 can diced tomatoes

8 cups vegetable broth (try using homemade broth)

1/2 teaspoon sea salt

1 1/2 cups cooked or canned beans like garbanzo or kidney

1 cup of uncooked pasta or cooked rice

5 cups chopped greens such as kale, spinach or cabbage

1 teaspoon red wine vinegar

juice of half a lemon



Directions:

Heat the oil over medium heat in a large stockpot. Add the onion and veggies and cook until the onion starts to brown, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic, spices, red pepper flakes, and diced tomatoes. Sauté for a minute or so and then add the broth. Bring to a simmer, and add the salt, beans, and pasta or rice. Simmer for about 12 minutes until pasta is soft and cooked. Fold in the greens after the pasta cooks and cook for another 3-4 minutes. Add vinegar and lemon juice, stir, and taste. Add more spices or herbs if necessary. Top with sprouts, crackers, or whatever else you want.