Vegetable Soup

Plan Z Phase: This is a Z2 (ZReduction) recipe. As the weather gets colder and the nights get longer this makes a wonderful soup. Or if you get a cold while on Plan Z this might be just the ticket! You can always add some cooked chicken to it too and have a healthy chicken soup to cure what ails you.

Servings: Serves 4

Each serving is 1-1/2 cups

Ingredients:

• olive oil spray
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 1 celery rib sliced to ¼” slices
• ½ cup of chopped red bell pepper
• 15 oz of diced tomatoes from a can, with the juice (Hunts is a no sugar option)
• 1 cup of green beans cut to 1” pieces
• 1-1/2 to 2 cups of broth. You can use beef, veggie or chicken broth. (In the picture you’ll see I used beef broth for this version because I had beef for my protein to go with it)
• ½ tsp of grated sea salt or to taste
• 1 pinch of cracked red pepper flakes for a bit of zip (optional)
• 2 handfuls of baby spinach (optional)

Instructions:

In a medium soup pan spray the olive oil. Add the onion, celery and the chopped red bell pepper. Cook on medium just until you loosen up the veggies and the onions begin to brown.

Then add the other ingredients (except the spinach). Cook on medium for 20 minutes to meld the flavors. Stir often.

I like my soup a little more smooth, so once it’s done cooking, I put half of the soup in a blender and whiz it up. Then I add if back to the pot. It makes the texture nice and velvety, but you still get bits of vegetables.

Just before serving, stir in the spinach if you want it. Remember that spinach is an unlimited so you can put in as much as you want. Just more vitamins!

This is a yummy, thick soup.

Serving size is one and a half cups.

You can still have your full protein portion, your salad if you want one, and your breadstick/cracker/crunch.

Enjoy!

Cheers,