Latest Favorite Veggy Soup Dec. 09

Latest Favorite Veggy Soup Dec. 09

Chop all the veggies in large pieces, rough chop is ok. Add to the pot in order they appear and prepare each veggy after adding the previous one. Example, peel the carrots and chop after adding the celery and so on. ALSO VERY IMPORTANT to keep a glass of water close by so that nothing browns, adding a little water will prevent it. This is Sauteing at medium temperature.

USE A GIANT STOCK POT
1/4 cup olive oil in the pot
3 Large Leeks chopped
lots of garlic minced, min 8 cloves
1 small onion or shallot chopped
4 sticks celery chopped
4 large carrots roughly chopped
2 small parsnips or one large chopped
- should smell pretty good about now :)
1 large Napa Cabbage or one medium regular cabbage roughly chopped
add about 2 cups of water
4 zucchinis peeled and chopped chunky
1/2 Cauliflower OPTIONAL
OK now add 4 small tomatoes chopped
1/2 red or green pepper chopped

Mix thoroughly and then cover with water.
Add 6 vegan bouillon cubes, I love McCormicks Beef & chicken flavored veggie cubes.
Let come to a boil and reduce to a low simmer.
ADD, lots of pepper some fresh parsley and any favorite herbs. In this, my latest favorite, I've been adding DILL.

Taste...I sometimes add a pinch of sugar substitute this time of year cause the veggies aren't as sweet as in the summer. You might want to add salt! I usually add another bouillon cube if it needs salt.

OK now let it all cook till tender not mush, about 30/45 minutes.
THEN*** Use your hand held blender and just partially give it a whirl, you want to just blend it enough to make it thick but leave at least half the veggies intact so that the different flavors and textures will come out with each spoon.

When I eat this soup I sometimes add HOT Chili Pepper Flakes, or a bit of Curry or whatever I feel like adding. This is the soup I have at dinner time, maybe even 4 cups of it. It's a funny thing about my Veggy soups, no one (including me) is ever in the mood for it..but once we start eating it we devour it and want MORE.
Try it just once! You might want to add more tomatoes or add other things to it, but don't dismiss it because of the time and fussing to make it. This soup will help you lose weight and be so healthy!

Remember* You are taking the time FOR YOU, you deserve to do somethings like making a healthy vegetable soup FOR YOURSELF! Besides the chopping is a form of exercise LOL.


I've estimated about 75 calories for 2 cups

LEMONY LEMON CHIFFONY MOUSSE

OK, this isn't exactly the healthiest dessert but the LOWEST calorie content, No Dairy, Super fast and NO SUGAR. I improvised from 3 different recipes and tested it for my Christmas Parties...well my hubby thinks I need to make it every night now.

OK here it is, my version of:

*Lemony Lemon Chiffony Mousse*

(Double it as much as you want)

-1 pkg, LEMON Jello No Sugar Added
- Low fat no sugar Cool Whip or equivalent
- Lemon Juice ( Best lemon juice from concentrate)
- Some favorite no sugar sweetener
-Water

Start the jello according to the package
1 cup boiling water to dissolve the jello
Then add 2 or 3 tblspns of Lemon Juice to 1-1/4 cup cold water -
Add it and mix it well into the jello
I add more lemon juice because I love it really lemony/tangy. Taste the mixture add the sugar to your taste.
Make sure the mixture is just a wee bit stronger than you'd like!
Now put it in the fridge till it sort of jells and is no longer watery.

After it has jelled a bit, beat with a whisk just to get some bubbles and smoothness in it then add 1 cup of Cool Whip and beat again. Leave it in the bowl or put in individual bowls
Put it in the fridge...wait at least 5 hours..the longer the better for it to set.
Decorate with whatever makes you happy! Extra Cool Whip, a Cherry, mint leaf, Strawberry or Dark Chocolate Sprinkles on top.

For sure you could put the Mousse in a cooked pie shell or cooked tart shells...but that increases the calories and God knows we do not need MORE calories

I estimate this dessert at about 45 calories a cup.