Simple Vegetable Soup

One of my favorite dishes my grandma makes is vegetable soup. It’s simple but it hits the spot. This is a go-to meal for me when I need something quick to fix without a trip to the grocery. I can keep everything on hand to make this soup quickly and all the ingredients are inexpensive. I can make this in 20 minutes and an entire pot for only $5 with organic ingredients.

Making homemade soup is just how it is. I can’t even remember the last time I purchased soup in a can. Canned soup has a lot of sodium so I avoid it. Once you have homemade soups, it’s hard to get the canned stuff anyway. You can omit the barley, or substitute with pasta or quinoa. I like to store the soup in quart sized mason jars which is 2 servings for me. This soup goes great with a sandwich- especially grilled cheese.

20 Minute Vegetable Soup

• 2 T oil or fat
• 1 Clove garlic
• 1/2 white or yellow onion
• 2 vegetable bullion cubes to make 4 C broth
• 1- 28oz can tomatoes (diced or crushed)
• 1- 16oz bag of frozen vegetables
• 1/4 C barley or quinoa
• 2 C of frozen cubed potatoes

My favorite bouillon is the Edward & Songs, found at my local health food store You can buy the broth already made, but the cubes are a lot cheaper. I don’t use the ‘Better than Buillon’ because I don’t like their brand’s taste. I also like using the Muir Glen Organic crushed or diced tomatoes.

• Dice onion and garlic.
• In a stock pot, heat oil and sauté onion until almost translucent. Add garlic and cook for a minute.
• Run frozen veggies and potatoes under water to thaw. Add to onion and garlic.
• Add canned tomatoes and broth. Bring to simmer.
• Add grain, or cook pasta in another pot and add at end.
• Simmer for 10-15 minutes or until grains are done.