Soup and Veggies and Veggies and Soup

The concept of eating 5 servings of vegetables each day is starting to wear thin. It is not that I don't like vegetables, I do in fact. It is just hard to eat that many each and every day. Each day starts with a serving of vegetables first thing out of the chute. There is nothing like cold collards or cucumbers and bell peppers to break the nights fast, but if I don't get the first serving early, then I wind up forcing myself to eat squash as a late night snack. It is just easier to go ahead and jump in feet first each morning. I will confess though that leftover broccoli, sautéed onions and a dash of Parmesan Cheese over 1/2 cup of grits is pretty decent. For the record a collard omelet is a really bad idea!

Tonight I put a huge pot of soup on the stove right after we had finished supper. Once again thinking about how to incorporate the 5 servings, I opted for a vegetable dense soup. I found this in an extremely old Weight Watchers Cookbook I have from sometime in the late 70's? Early 80's? I have no idea what edition or the name of the actual book. I don't remember the actual size of the book either. Over the years is has lost covers and pages and is a shell of what it once was. Funny thing, I don't even remember using it a lot, but I must have for several pages are well splattered. ( I know this book is old because it is broken down into unlimited and limited vegetable servings as well as exchanges)

Everyday Soup

1 small head of cabbage, coarsely chopped
1/4 small onion diced
dried onions to taste
1 large can of whole tomatoes
1 carrot
1 cup green beans
1 cup diced zucchini
1 cup yellow squash
1 cup diced celery
4 cups water
4 beef or chicken bouillon cubes
salt and papper to taste

The instructions are very basic. Toss everything in a pot and cook on low until it is all soft and soupy. Consume 3/4 cup daily as one of the 3 required vegetable servings . ( What is this 3 servings? I am choking down vegetables right and left)

What I did differently: I actually used all of the vegetables the recipe called for, but did not use dried onion. I put 2 small yellow onions and did not chop mine because I like things in a soup to have a chunky consistency. Mine were in pretty hefty julienne slices. I did use a can of whole tomatoes because they were in the pantry, but crushed them with the potato masher before adding them. Instead of the bouillon cubes I chose to use chicken stock for my soup liquid. I used a little salt but no pepper. . In addition I made a little bouquet garni of herbs that were on hand, a little thyme and marjoram and a bay leaf. I think it cooked on low for about an hour, maybe an hour and a half. I did not eat any tonight, but am pretty sure I will have a cup in the morning for breakfast.

I will have it just as it is, with no embellishments, but when it is part of lunch or supper, i am guessing I will top it with a dollop of light sour cream and some habernero sauce. I will be sure to post how it tastes both alone and amended. I have no idea how many servings this is. Just guessing there will be at least 8 servings, maybe more. Picture to follow tomorrow morning!