Cheri’s Facebook Vegetable "Stone Soup" Stew
A couple of weeks ago, I bought a bunch of vegetables and improvised my very own “stone soup” — a little of this, a little of that — ’til the pot was full and the kitchen smelled great.The results were good, but not fantastic; the soup base was weak, so the overall flavor was bland.
Last weekend, I tried again, only this time I sent out a “help” message to my Facebook friends:
I need ideas for making my vegan soup base more flavorful. The soup will include: bell peppers, green beans, tomatoes, corn, potatoes, tomatillos, black beans, barley, and wild rice. Last time, I used McKay’s chicken seasoning and it was weak/bland. I don’t want to simply dump in a ton of salt. Other ideas from those who are successful soup-makers? I don’t want this one to be “Such the disappointment!”
(Extra credit to anyone who recognizes the quote…and its irony!)
16 replies later, and this culinary masterpiece was born!
Cheri’s Facebook Vegetable “Stone Soup” Stew (Click to Tweet this Recipe.)
1 Knorr vegetable bullion cube
1 Tbs. McKay’s Chicken seasoning
4 cups water
(Heat in a large soup pot until bullion is dissolved.)
¼ c barley
¼ c wild rice
10 small potatoes, cubed
4 carrots, sliced diagonally
(Add to pot and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to simmer.)
3+ cloves garlic, minced
1 large onion, chopped
1 Tbs. olive oil
(Saute in a separate pan and then add to large pot. Continue simmering.)
10 tomatoes, chopped
(Add to pot. Continue simmering.)
1 bell pepper, chopped
kernels cut from 4 ears of fresh corn
2 tomatillos, diced
1 bag Morning Star Farms Meal Starter chicken strips, chopped
2 cups fresh green beans, cut into 1” pieces
2 cans black beans, drained (I tossed the liquid)
2 cans stewed tomatoes (Mexican Style)
2 tsp fresh dill, snipped
1 tsp oregano (dried)
dash of ceyenne pepper (or to taste)
dash of cumin (or to taste)
dash of onion powder (or to taste)
(Add to pot. Continue simmering.)
juice of 2 small lemons
(Add when barley and wild rice are done and you’re ready to serve!)
150 calories per cup
6 grams of protein
29 grams of carbohydrate
1 gram of fat
