Zero Soup

I really love this soup; it was one of the recipes I prepared in the week following Thanksgiving when I was feeling kind of yucky.With some toasted whole grain bread, it is really satisfying. It calls for no oil or other fat (that's why it is called zero soup- it has no fat!), but still has great flavor. It comes from one of my favorite cookbooks, Moosewood Restaurant New Classics.

Ingredients:

4 cups vegetable broth

2 cups diced onions

1 cup diced celery

1 cup peeled and diced carrots

1 cup green beans

1 1/2 cups finely chopped breen cabbage (I sometimes use kale instead)

1 cup diced red bell peppers

4 garlic cloves, minced

 3 cups diced tomatoes in juice (28-ounce can)

2 T. soy sauce or Bragg's Liquid Aminos

1 T. cider vinegar

1 tsp. each dried basil, dried oregano, dried dill, and dried thyme

1/2 tsp. ground black pepper

Heat the broth in a soup pot. Add the first seven ingredients one at a time. Stir in the tomatoes, soy sauce, vinegar, dried herbs, and pepper. Simmer for 15 to 20 minutes, until the vegetables are tender.