A Roll in the Clay

Everything-But-The-Kitchen-Sink Veggie Soup

It's always a challenge coming up with fast, healthful recipes everyday but I struck gold a few nights ago when I raided the cupboards and came up with a soup that has a little bit of everything, with the exception of animal protein which you could certainly add if you have it. I didn't so I made the best of it and came up with something pretty tasty and FULL of veggies. Even my kids ate it!

A warm ciabatta roll completed my veggie soup.

My family loves soup of any kind and I love an opportunity to take things that I typically have and combine them in such a way that causes silence at the dinner table. They're too busy slurping. That's when I know I have a winner.

I'm pretty conscious of sodium in our diets, especially since the hubs has issues with it. His ears turn fire red when he's had too much so all my prepackaged ingredients are either "low sodium" or "no salt added" varieties. I'm a label reader and have been ever since my oldest was diagnosed with nut allergies when she was five.

Feel free to tweak this with whatever you have. Enjoy, and let me know what you think!

Ingredients:
2 32-oz boxes no salt or reduced sodium chicken stock (I use Kitchen Basics)
1 5-oz bag fresh spinach
5 carrots sliced into circles
1 turnip cut into strips
2 celery stalks, diced
1 medium yellow onion, diced
1 14.5-oz can fire roasted tomatoes
1 can reduced sodium cannellini beans, rinsed and drained
2 cups ditalini pasta (or whatever you have on hand)
2 tablespoons olive oil
salt and pepper
red pepper flakes (optional, we like heat)

Cook pasta separately according to package instructions. Cooking it in the soup will reduce the amount of broth. When finished cooking, rinse and set aside.

Heat olive oil on medium high heat in dutch oven. Add onion, celery, carrots and turnip until softened - about 8 to 10 minutes, stirring frequently. Pour in undrained tomatoes and spinach, stir and cover until spinach wilts (this only takes a few minutes). Add beans and chicken stock, stir and bring to a simmer. Add pasta. Salt and pepper to taste. I add a liberal amount of red pepper flakes.