Winter Soup

This soup is a sort of winter soup, because everyone seems to want it on cold days. I also call it leftover rice soup, because it is a good way to not waste leftover rice. It is especially good for those days when you feel like your coming down with cold or flu. I suppose it is like a vegan chicken soup sans the chicken, of course. This is a comforting, healthy soup, and you can make it even healthier if you use a brown rice instead of white.

Here is the recipe:



Winter Soup

1/2 onion-finely minced
2-3 cloves garlic-chopped
2 carrots-peeled & chopped
1 stalk celery-sliced
1 small potato-cubed
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
2 bay leaves
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon turmeric (optional but good)
1/4 teaspoon salt
pinch of red pepper
5 1/2 to 6 cups of low sodium veg broth
1 to 1 1/2 cups of cooked rice
1 can black beans or peas (drained & rinsed)
3/4 tablespoon olive oil
salt & black pepper to taste

In a soup pot, bring oil to medium heat. Saute the onion, carrot, celery, & potato for about five minutes stirring intermittently. Add the garlic & saute for 30 seconds. Add the thyme, bay leaf, garlic powder & salt and allow to saute for another 30 seconds. Add broth & bring to a high simmer. Once simmering, lower heat to a low simmer & put the top on the pot. Simmer for about 15 minutes. Now, add rice, beans, & turmeric and allow to heat for about 1-2 minutes. If you cook the rice too long or add too much rice, you will not have any broth due to absorption. Serve with salt, pepper, & a wedge of lemon or lime...

Enjoy!

*Serves 6. Each serving has 2 grams unsaturated fat, 219 calories, 0 cholesterol, 0 trans fat