Meatless Monday: Welcome to the first Edition

Would you be surprised if I told you that I have been a vegetarian for over 11 years. I'll save that story for another day. Today I want to share a really yummy recipe. It is a recipe I created myself for a vegetable soup. It's thick and hearty and could almost be a vegetable stew. The tomato paste and the beets give this soup a beautiful rich reddish color which contrasts nicely with the orange carrots and the yellow sweet potato. It's a perfect soup for a chilly day. Just add a salad and possibly a slice of whole wheat bread and you have a great healthy vegetarian meal. It's also so quick and easy to prepare.





Chef Busy Butterfly's Vegetarian Vegetable Soup
Servings: Approx 10 1 cup Servings


Ingredients

• 1 Large Chopped Onion



• 4 Cloves of Fresh Garlic



• 2 Medium Sweet Potatoes diced to 1-2" cubes



• 3 Carrots Coarsely Chopped



• 1-2 Beets Diced



• 4 Cups Water



• 7 oz can of Tomato Paste



• 1 596 Fl Oz can of Chick Peas



• 2 TBS of Olive Oil



• 1/4 Cup Fresh Basil



• 3 Bay Leaves



• 1 tsp Thyme
  
  

1. In a large soup pot heat olive oil over medium to high heat. Add onions and garlic and saute until onions and garlic are tender and slightly browned on the edges.



2. Add 4 cups of water and stir in tomato paste.



3. As the water comes to a boil add carrots, sweet potato, Beet, Basil, Thyme and Bay Leaves. Simmer on low for about 40 minutes or until veggies are tender.



4. Add Chick Peas and cook for another 10 minutes until chick peas are heated through.

Nutrition Information

Amount Per Serving

Calories: 133

Total Fat: 3.7

Cholesterol: 0

Sodium: 152.0 mg

Total Carbs: 21.7

Dietary Fiber: 4.6

Protein: 4.4