Soups Back On

Whenever a holiday or special occasion has found me bloated and overstuffed, I always turn to a big pot of vegetable soup to help me get back to my “normal.”  Yesterday, with assorted veggies left in the house from Thanksgiving, I sauteed up some chopped onions, celery and leeks (just the white part—then I planted the bottom of the leek and bet it will grow just like the scallions!) and then added about 2 cups of vegetable broth and about 4 cups of water. In the pot I threw some chunk-ed up carrots, string beans and more celery, along with some ground pepper and let cook for about 30 minutes.  Then I added a rinsed can of northern beans, some corn cut off cob** (already cooked from Thursday) and shredded spinach leaves.  I had a bowl at lunch with a salad and at dinner with another salad and some grilled tofu.  Filling, nutritional, low in calories and high in fiber and water content, this morning I already feel much less “fluffy.”  Today, along with a good amount of protein, I will have the soup with lunch and again with dinner.  By tomorrow I should be done paying for all that stuffing, those delicious desserts and the martinis!  Well worth it.  Chicken soup might be good for some people’s souls, but I’ll take the veggie version, thank you.

**Since corn is a pretty starchy vegetable, I just added a little for color and because I really didn’t want to throw it out!  Obviously, YOU can add whatever veggies you like, but remember if you are adding potatoes or corn, make it a small amount and if you are using broth, go easy—the sodium will work against you!

What a great time we had Saturday seeing Kyle and Nicole and meeting Nicole’s dad and mom, Gary and LeeAnn.  We had a great time and can’t wait till we get to do it again!