Hearty Homemade Vegetable Soup

ingredients

1. One cup of chopped and trimmed green beans, two diced potatoes, and two tablespoons of olive oil
2. One medium onion,
3. three chopped garlic cloves,
4. three chopped carrots,
5. two celery stalks,
6. one chopped bell pepper,
7. and one can (14.5 oz) chopped tomatoes
8. Six cups of chicken or veggie broth
9. The dried thyme, one teaspoon
10. One teaspoon of dried basil
11. One bay leaf
12. To taste, add salt and pepper.
13. Optional: One cup of cooked beans (such as chickpeas or kidney beans), one cup of corn, or one cup of little spaghetti

Directions

• Sauté Aromatics: In a big pot over medium heat, heat the olive oil. Add the minced garlic and diced onion. Simmer for approximately five minutes, or until the onion is aromatic and transparent.
• Cook the vegetables by adding the bell pepper, diced potatoes, chopped celery, green beans, and carrot slices. To gently soften the vegetables, simmer for approximately five minutes, stirring regularly.
• Add Tomatoes and Broth: Add the broth and the chopped tomatoes together with their juice. Bring to a boil, stirring to mix.
• Simmer: Turn down the heat to low and add the bay leaf, dried basil, and dried thyme. The vegetables should be soft after 20 to 30 minutes of simmering, covered.
• Add optional ingredients and season with salt and pepper after tasting the soup. Add pasta, cooked beans, or corn if you’d like, and simmer for a further five to ten minutes, or until well warm.
  Have fun.