Making Mama's Kitchen: Fresh Vegetable Soup

This recipe is a Weight Watchers dream. Low in points with lots of flavor and packed full of healthy veggies! It makes a great side, appetizer, or snack and is only 2 points per cup (leave out the potatoes and it's only 1 point per cup!). Add 2 cups of cooked chicken breast (like the ones you shredded ahead and put in the freezer...) for a quick and easy weeknight meal, at only 6 points per 2 cup serving. I paired it with a ciabatta chicken sandwich for a yummy soup/ sandwich combo. To save even more time, I chopped some of the vegetables the night before. (Dan, Shawna, & Remy arrived shortly after I got home from work and I wanted to get dinner on the table quickly so we could get to more important things... like dressing up the girls and subjecting them to lots and lots of pictures!)

Fresh Vegetable Soup

Ingredients:

- 2 t. olive oil
- 2 cloves minced garlic
- 2 medium carrots, diced
- 1 medium onion, diced
- 1 red bell pepper, diced
- 1 rib celery, diced
- 3 medium red potatoes, quartered and thinly sliced
- 2 c. kale, chopped
- 1 c. cauliflower, chopped
- 1 c. broccoli, chopped
- 1/2 c. mushrooms, thinly sliced
- 8 c. vegetable stock (about 4 cans or 2 cartons)
- 2 t. thyme
- 1/4 c. salsa verde
- 2 T. hot sauce (optional)
- 1 c. fresh cilantro
- 1/2 t. salt
- 1/2 t. black pepper
- 2 T. fresh lime juice

chop-ahead ingredients

**Be creative, add your favorite veggies, leave out the ones you don't like, and play around with the spices! The possibilities are endless with this basic vegetable soup.

Directions:

1. Heat oil in a large soup pot over medium-high heat; saute onion, red pepper, garlic, celery, and carrots for about 2 minutes.

2. Add remaining vegetables, vegetable stock, salsa, hot sauce (if using), and thyme. Cover and bring to a boil over high heat; reduce heat and simmer, partly covered for about 10 minutes, until vegetables soften and kale wilts.