Hearty Vegetable Noodle Soup

Vegetable Noodle Soup Recipe
plant-based, vegan, refined sugar-free, gluten-free

This recipe can be made as simple or as complex as you like depending on time and ingredients on hand. Feel free to experiment with whatever vegetables and spice combinations you prefer and just keep in mind that the vegetable quantities are sort of just a guide. I don't measure out the vegetables and for simplicity, am just adding my favorite combination in the Ingredients list here (in the above picture I used 2 carrots and 1 zucchini for the vegetables and chickpeas for the beans). The only thing to make sure is that the broth covers the ingredients after adding the pasta so it can fully cook through. This is a great recipe to make your own, so have fun!

**Please also take a look at the notes below where I have shared ideas on how to further amp up vegetable content in the broth with various "hidden veggie" tips.

Ingredients:

• 1 Onion, diced
• 1-2 Garlic cloves, finely minced
• 1/2 tsp Dried turmeric
• 1/2 tsp Dried thyme
• 1/2 tsp Dried rosemary
• 1/4 tsp Dried Sage
• 1 Tbsp Dried Cumin
• 1/2-1 tsp Salt 
• 1/4 tsp Black pepper
• 1 Head of broccoli, cut in the bite-sized pieces
• 8 oz. Mushrooms, sliced or chopped
• 2 cups Beans of choice (1-2 cans, rinsed and drained)
• 3-4 cups Vegetable broth (try to ensure no added sugars or oils are in the ingredient list)
• 1 1/2 cups Pasta of choice (gluten-free or whole wheat; alternatively 1 cup of quinoa works, too)
• Juice of 1 lemon or 1 Tbsp apple cider vinegar 

Instructions:

1. In a large pot over medium heat, begin cooking the onion and garlic with all of the spices until the onions are softened. To avoid sticking I'll splash in some apple cider vinegar, but water or vegetable broth can also be used.
2. Then add in the chopped vegetables and let everything cook for a few more minutes, adding moisture as needed to prevent sticking. 
3. Stir in the beans and vegetable broth. Use enough broth so that the ingredients are at least covered. 
4. Turn up the heat and once the broth is boiling add the pasta/quinoa, then lower heat back to medium/medium low.
5. Continue cooking uncovered until pasta/quinoa is cooked through. Check the pasta/quinoa package directions for timing. 
6. After pasta/quinoa is cooked, remove from heat and stir in the lemon juice/vinegar and enjoy.
7. This soup is great for batch cooking lunches/dinners and will store for at least a week in the fridge, but it also freezes very well.

**Note: Hidden Veggie Broth Blend-in Ideas

My favorite broth addition is to dry sauté 1 onion, 2-3 finely minced cloves of garlic, and 2 leeks with all of the spices listed above and then blend this mixture together with 3-4 cups of vegetable broth. While this does require a little bit more time, it doesn't necessarily add more dishes as I will sauté this combination in the same pot I plan to cook the soup in. 

Some easier options to jazz up the vegetable broth is to just blend up a can of diced tomatoes (or fresh tomatoes) or even a handful or two of kale/spinach/arugula with the broth. I have also stirred in a half can of pumpkin puree which turns the soup into more of a stew. Or I also really like to microwave a frozen pack of pre-cut squash and blend this in with the broth.