Homemade Vegetable Soup (for the soul!)

 This is the best vegetable soup I have ever had - hands down.

And I made it! This was the first recipe that I ever devised by myself, soon after I got married and long before I joined Weight Watchers.

It's super easy, ultra healthy, but most importantly, delicious! And for all you "Weight Watchers" out there, it's only one smart point!  

It's the perfect soup for a cold winter's day and with the frigid temps and blustery days we've been having, now is the perfect time to make this yummy deliciousness!

I use mostly frozen veggies for this soup, with the exception of canned diced tomatoes and potatoes, and fresh cabbage. Really, you can put anything you want in it, this soup is very versatile.The last time I made it, I didn't have any tomatoes so I used some V8 juice instead. This time around, I didn't have any potatoes so it's potato free today!

First, I start out by adding torn cabbage leaves to four cans of chicken broth. If you prefer to make this a vegetarian vegetable soup use vegetable broth instead! I just eyeball most of the ingredients in this soup. Use as much or as little cabbage as you like! Let it cook on low/medium heat until the cabbage is translucent - about twenty minutes.

Then I add one can of diced tomatoes - juice and all! Give it a stir.

Next, I add frozen carrots and frozen green beans - a handful at a time. Again, use as much or as little as you want, keeping in mind whether you like your soup thicker or more soupy. I also add 1/2 cup of frozen sweet corn (I measure the corn out for points value for WW since it's a starchy veg.) Slowly bring the soup to a boil over medium heat.

Once it boils, it's time to add my favorite part - the barley! I use 1/3 cup of pearl barley. Reduce the heat to low and let it cook until the barley expands, then lower the heat again to simmer and cook about 10-15 minutes more.

Ready to eat! Once in your bowl, season with salt, pepper, or seasoned salt to taste! I simply use seasoned salt to season my soup. It adds some spices and salt. It's delicious!

Sometimes, after this soup sits a lot of the liquid will disappear and you will need to add another can of broth for the leftovers. Even though I like a thicker soup, I usually add another can or so into the container right before I put it in the fridge so all the flavors can meld together. Other times, I just use water when I am reheating it. 

Enjoy!