| 1 | Recipe by: jo anne merrill preparation time: 1:30 * use about 6 cups liquid. |
| 2 | You may mix chicken and beef broth (canned lowfat, not bouillon cubes) with water and tomato juice or vegetable juice cocktail to suit your tastes. |
| 3 | Melt 4 tablespoons margarine in skillet. |
| 4 | Add the chopped green peppers, carrots, celery and onion. |
| 5 | Saute on low heat until vegetables are softened and onion browned lightly. |
| 6 | Add this to the broth mixture which has been placed in a large, heavy pan with lid. |
| 7 | Add to this the potatoes, green beans, lima beans and corn. |
| 8 | Cover and simmer for about 45 minutes or until all the vegetables are done. |
| 9 | Add the salt and pepper. |
| 10 | Remove about 2 cups of the mixture and put into blender. |
| 11 | Puree this mixture and return to pot with rest of soup. |
| 12 | Turn off heat and cover soup. |
| 13 | Best if allowed to set for up to 1 hour to blend flavors. |
| 14 | Since this is a basic recipe for soup, you can add the vegetables you prefer and follow the directions above to finish the soup. |
| 15 | Some suggestions: add bay leaf, shredded cabbage, chopped zucchini, diced turnips, fresh tomatoes, okra or parsley. |
| 16 | For added nutrition, serve with a sprinkling of lowfat cheese on the hot soup. |
| 17 | Also good sprinkled with toasted croutons. |
| 18 | This stores very well in refrigerator and is actually improved with time. |
