Clean out the Fridge Soup

Ingredients

• 1 cup diced onion

• 1 cup diced celery

• 1 cup diced carrot

• 2-3 cloves minced garlic

• Olive oil

• 2 Tbsp Tomato paste, or more to your taste.

• Boxed broth or bouillon paste (I use Better Than Bouillon + water)

• Fresh chopped or canned/frozen vegetables of your choosing. (tomatoes, zucchini or yellow squash, mushrooms, green beans, cabbage, potatoes, kale, corn, etc.) Use up the veggies in
  your fridge!

• Leftover meat or 1 lb. ground meat (optional). Leave out the meat for just a lovely vegetable soup.

• 2 cups cooked grain or legume of your choice (optional). Rice, quinoa, lentils, canned beans, etc.

• Herbs of your choosing (I use bay leaf and Herbs de’ Provence. Use any herbs you like -fresh or dried.)

Directions 

• Sauté onion, celery, and carrot in olive oil until soft and slightly browned.

• Add garlic and tomato paste and cook 3 minutes.

• If adding ground meat, add it in now and cook about half way.

• Add vegetables and cover with broth. 

• Simmer until vegetables are cooked through. 30 mins. or so.

• Add chopped leftover meat, if using, and heat through.

• Turn off heat. Add cooked grain or beans, if using. 

Serve with crusty bread, grated parmesan or other cheese, fresh herbs, and/or croutons, and enjoy!