Winter Vegetable Soup

This recipe was created by none other than...me! Always a fan of root vegetables, leafy greens, and thick soups in the winter, this soup should be made in a large pot (Stone Soup, anyone?) and can serve three generously or be frozen in individual portions for as long as you like. The whole grains and vegetables are flexible to your particular liking, so bear with me as I attempt to dictate my first recipe.

 Above shows the ingredients you will need, but don't be intimidated by the quantity! Its really hard to mess this soup up.

Winter Vegetable Soup
-2 tbsp olive oil                                 -1/2 tbsp oregano
-1 cup chopped onion                       -1/8 tsp crushed red pepper
-2 garlic cloves, minced                    -3 cups low sodium, free range chicken broth
-2 carrots, thinly sliced                      -8 oz diced tomatos, no salt added
-1 parsnip, thinly sliced                     -8 oz cannellini beans
-2 celery stalks, sliced                       -2 tsp lemon juice
-1 cup butternut squash, cubed         -1/3 cup barley (whole wheat pasta or toasted cubed whole wheat bread, ribolilta style can also be used)
-3/4 cup mushrooms, sliced               - salt and pepper to taste
-3 stalks kale (5 cups uncooked)

Directions:
1. Heat olive oil in a large pot on medium heat. Add onions and saute for 2 minutes.
2. Add garlic, carrots, parsnips, and squash, saute for 5 more minutes, stirring frequently.
3. Toss in celery, mushrooms, and spices; mix thoroughly and let cook for 2 more minutes.
4. Pour in chicken broth and bring pot to a boil.  Add barley*
5. Reduce heat to a simmer and cook for 12 minutes, stirring periodically.
6. Add tomatoes + juice and the kale in small batches, putting the lid back on to decrease its volume.
7. Stir in beans, lemon juice, and salt and pepper to taste. Cook on low for 8 more minutes, and serve with a generous sprinkle of grated parmesan cheese.

*If making this recipe with pasta or toasted bread pieces, add them in after step #6. They do not need to cook as long as the barely, which takes 30 minutes.

The advantages of making your own soup:
Most processed and canned soups, while they may be low in fat and calories, are extraordinarily high in sodium. 1 cup of Progresso's Vegetable Classics Minestrone Soup has 29% of your DAILY sodium intake. Because this recipe uses no-salt added chicken broth and tomatoes, the only added sodium is the salt you pour in by hand.

References:
"Calories in Minestrone Vegetable Classics Soup." Calorie Count. Web. 18 Jan. 2011. <http://caloriecount.about.com/calories-progresso-minestrone-i88479>.