Vegetable Soup for a Cold Winter Evening

There’s nothing like a cold winter night to bring out the soup-eater in me.  I’ve been wanting some nice, tasty vegetable soup lately, so I bought some fresh veggies, a can of fire-roasted tomatoes, and a can of cannellini beans, and went to work.

My kitchen is what would be considered a “micro-kitchen.”  Or maybe a teeny-tiny kitchen.  It’s much smaller than those in what are called “tiny houses” and trying to cook in it can be challenging…. I mean, it’s a lot of fun!  So come along with me and watch as the soup comes alive – here we go! (recipe follows photos)

Vegetable Soup for a Winter Evening

Ingredients:
5-6 mushrooms, sliced
1/2 onion, chopped
2 tsp. olive oil
2 loose carrots, sliced
2 red potatoes, diced
1 15-oz can fire-roasted tomatoes
1 15-oz can cannellini beans
1 cube vegetable bouillon
1 bay leaf
1/2 tsp. dried oregano
1/2 tsp. dried basil
1/2 head cabbage, shredded
Salt and pepper to taste
Optional flavor additions: soy sauce, hot chili sauce, rosemary, Bragg’s aminos, Worcestershire sauce, Tabasco sauce, etc.  Optional additions or substitutions: cubed extra-firm tofu, other beans such as kidney or pinto, greens such as spinach or kale, sweet potatoes or yams, cooked pasta, any other veggies you have in the fridge.  Try adding fresh avocado on top!

Directions:
In a large saucepan, saute the mushrooms and onions in the olive oil for 5 minutes.

Add carrots and potatoes.  Add tomatoes and beans.  Add 1 can water and vegetable bouillon cube.  Add bay leaf, oregano, basil.  Over high heat, bring to just-beginning-to-boil, lower the heat, and simmer of 10 minutes.

Add shredded cabbage.  Return to simmer and cook for 5 minutes.

Remove bay leaf. Add any additional seasonings desired, salt and pepper to taste.

Spoon into bowls and serve with toasted bread or crackers.

Please let me know if you find any discrepancies in the recipe, either in the ingredients or the directions, or let me know if I can clarify anything in the recipe.  Enjoy!

*******

All photos are taken with my iPhone 5 and edited/cropped in iPhoto.  I’m still a newbie with the camera so I haven’t mastered any consistency in the lighting or settings.  Be patient with me!  Some day I’ll have a real camera!