Soup’s on

Found this easy and healthy vegetable soup recipe in Bon Appetit Light, Fresh & Easy Cookbook (1997). It is a compact paperback book with only 102 pages. Betting I received it with a new subscription to the magazine! Full disclosure: I left out the mushrooms. They are a fungus; need I say more?

Seriously, this is a tomato-based soup with a lot of flavor and it freezes well. Like all soups, it’s better the next day. I freeze bowlfuls for quick weekday lunches. Note: no added oils = WW-friendly!

Tip: Use a mandoline to help with slicing.

Low-Fat Vegetable Soup

3 medium zucchini, sliced

2 medium carrots, sliced

10 mushrooms, sliced

1 medium onion, sliced

1 10-ounce russet potato, peeled, cut into 1-inch pieces

3 14½ ounce cans vegetable broth (44 ounces)

3 cups canned crushed tomatoes with added puree

1 14 ½ ounce can stewed tomatoes

3 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley

2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro

1 tablespoon chopped garlic

1 teaspoon chopped dried basil

1 teaspoon dried oregano

Salt and pepper

Additional chopped fresh parsley

Combine zucchini, carrots, mushrooms, onion and potato in a heavy large Dutch oven. Add vegetable broth, crushed tomatoes, stewed tomatoes, 3 tablespoons parsley, cilantro, garlic, basil and oregano. Bring mixture to a boil. Reduce heat, cover and simmer until vegetables are tender about 30 minutes.

Strain cooking liquid into large saucepan; reserve vegetables. Place 3 cups vegetables in a blender. Add ¼ cup cooking liquid. Puree until smooth. Stir puree into remaining cooking liquid in saucepan. Return remaining vegetables to cooking liquid. Season to taste with salt and pepper. (Can be prepared 5 days ahead. Cover and refrigerate.) Bring soup to a simmer. Ladle into bowls. Sprinkle with additional parsley.