Nothing Says Love Like Soup

There's nothing better when you're sick than a hot bowl of soup.

Hi, it's Sheila, and my daughter Katie was home sick from school yesterday, so I cooked an extra large pot of one of my favorites, Rita Heikenfeld's Chill Chasing Vegetable Soup.

I like to make a double batch and put some in the freezer or share it with friends. It filled up my largest soup pot.

The recipe follows. I don't use tofu, but sometimes I make a vegetarian version with vegetable (no meat) broth. And I use barley instead of bulgur wheat, but you can cook up your own variation. It's fun to try different things. Bon appetit!

Rita Heikenfeld's Chill Chasing Vegetable Soup

1 pound very lean ground chuck or round
1 generous cup chopped onion
1 tsp. garlic
1 jar chunky style pasta sauce (19-28 oz.)
3 cans low sodium beef broth
1 can chopped tomatoes and chilies or 1 can diced tomatoes & 1-2 chopped jalapenos
1 bag frozen soup vegetables (16 oz.)
1 box frozen mixed vegetables (10 oz.)
1 can drained beans (I used black beans)
1/4 cup bulgur wheat
a few handfuls of fresh greens (like spinach)
a few chunks of extra firm tofu
low fat cheddar or parmesan cheese

DIRECTIONS: Saute meat, onions, and garlic. Drain fat. Thaw frozen vegetables. Add remaining ingredients, except spinach and cheese. Bring to boil. Lower to simmer for 15 minutes or until vegetables tenderize. Toss in greens and cook one minute. Garnish with cheese.