ITALIAN VEGGIE SOUP

I'm definitely a girl that doesn't like to spend a lot on food, but don't get me wrong, I looooooove food. However, being frugal can come in handy when you're hit with unexpected expenses, leaving little room for a large grocery budget.  I know I'm not alone on this one. Anyway, as mentioned many times before, I love to make a meal stretch, it's kinda my thing. 

Wait, before we go any further we should get this out of the way; this recipe is NOT "Paleo", but it IS gluten-free. I thought about it, and all my recipes posted thus far have been Paleo, but I don't eat Paleo 100% of the time. I eat white rice, quinoa, white potatoes and legumes on occasion, usually in the form of soup.

Now, back to business. There are a few foods that can usually fit any budget and feed a family for days, soup is definitely one of them.  Having a huge batch of soup at the ready has saved me time and time again.

This recipe is made whenever I have leftover baked potatoes and extra ground beef from Taco Tuesdays or burger nights. Repurpose your food and you'll find your grocery bill getting smaller and smaller. I love it!

INGREDIENTS:

• 24oz. marinara sauce (I use Whole Foods Organic Marinara)
• 32oz. chicken broth
• 15oz. cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
• 1oz. tomato paste
• 1/2 lb. ground beef, browned and drained of excess fat 
• 2c. russet potato (sweet potato works too), pre-cooked and cut into chunks
• 2c. carrot, shredded 
• 2c. green beans
• 1c. peas
• 1 Tbsp. onion powder
• 2 tsp. garlic salt

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. In a large stock pot combine marinara, broth, tomato paste, onion powder and garlic salt, whisking together until blended well
2. Add beef, potatoes and carrots to the broth and cook over medium-high heat for until it begins to boil (approx. 10 minutes)
3. Turn off heat and add remaining ingredients 
4. Allow the soup to sit for at least 5-10 minute before serving, allowing the broth to cook the veggies (for softer veggies don't turn the heat off and cook for 10 minutes)

           

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