Soups, Vegetarian

Lean and Green Soup

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My Lean and Green Soup is currently one of my faves. It’s perfect to whip up when you want to eat clean. But a sprinkle of cheese on top ain’t gonna hurt ya!

I never skimp on taste, and this soup’s flavor is awesome! It features zucchini and baby kale, plus your standard soup veg: carrots, celery and onions. I add a can of cannellini beans. You could totally go chickpea if that’s what you have. You also could swap out the kale for spinach, which is what I did this last time around.

I cook 1/2 cup of barley in a separate pot, and add the cooked barley to the big pot of soup. Barley is an awesome grain that adds fiber and cuts cholesterol. 

You can totally freeze this soup if you double the batch or want to it enjoy it later.

Lean and Green Soup
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Lean and Green Soup

Recipe by Susan LeiserCourse: SoupsCuisine: AmericanDifficulty: Easy
Servings

6

servings
Prep time

10

minutes
Cooking time

1

hour 

Ingredients

  • 2 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil

  • 1 medium onion, diced

  • 1 large carrot, peeled and diced

  • 1 celery stalked, diced

  • 1 medium zucchini, diced

  • 3 cloves garlic, minced

  • 2 tsp. Italian seasoning

  • 1 or 2 dry bay leaves

  • 1 5 ounce container baby kale (or baby spinach)

  • 1 19 ounce can Cento cannellini beans, drained and rinsed

  • 4 cups vegetable or chicken stock

  • 2 cups water for soup

  • 4 cups water for barley

  • 1/2 cup dried barley

  • Salt and pepper to taste

  • To serve: Grated parmesan cheese

Directions

  • In a medium pot, add 4 cups of water and barley. Bring to a boil. Cook for about 30 minutes until tender. Drain and set aside.
  • Meanwhile, in a large soup pot heat olive oil over medium heat. Add carrot, celery and onion. Saute for 5 to 8 minutes until onion is translucent. Add zucchini. Cook for about 5 more minutes. Add garlic, cook for a minute more. Add bay leaf. Season with salt and pepper and Italian seasoning. Stir.
  • Add vegetable or chicken stock and two cups of water. Bring to a boil. Simmer for 20 minutes minutes until veggies are cooked. Add cannellini beans and barley. Cook for 5 minutes more to heat through. 
  • Add kale or spinach. Season with salt and pepper. Stir and cook for about 2-3 minutes to wilt kale or spinach.
  • Serve with a sprinkle of parm, if desired.

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