20 Minute Hearty Vegetable Soup

Just twenty minutes is what I had before I had to leave for my daughter's doctors appointment one afternoon after work. I knew that we would be short on time before dinner when I got home so I wanted to make dinner ahead of time. I had a strong hankering for some hot soup since it was a cool day and wanted to see what I could do in the twenty minute timeframe that I had.


From grabbing the vegetables from the fridge to turning off the pot of cooked soup, I finished it all in twenty minutes. I was not necessarily planning on sharing this recipe as I made it but the soup turned out great. It made a ton of servings and I was pretty amazed that soup could be made in only twenty minutes so I thought my readers may be interested in it.
This soup is full of vegetables which provide fiber, vitamins and minerals. I used zucchini, carrots, tomatoes and celery in it but you can use whatever you have on hand. That is what is nice about a vegetable soup- whatever you throw in usually tastes pretty great!

I added a bag of frozen brown rice that I had already cooked at an earlier date for a boost of whole grains and to make more of a complete meal. If you do not have this on hand, you can cook your own rice on the spot or use instant brown rice.

The kidney beans and cheese provide your protein which will help keep you fuller for longer. I didn't want a side dish when I made this meal, I wanted a complete meal and the addition of these two ingredients made it perfect. Topped with some cheddar cheese for calcium and protein, it was an awesome meal. For information on how dairy products are nutritious, check out this Milk Means More article.

Serving size: 1 1/2 cups
Servings: About 8-10
Approximate prep/cook time: 20 minutes


Ingredients:
2 medium zucchini, diced
2 large carrots, sliced
2 cups chopped celery
1 diced bell pepper
4 large tomatoes, quartered
14.5 ounce can no-salt added diced tomatoes
14.5 ounce can no-salt added tomato sauce
14.5 ounce can of low-sodium kidney beans, drained and rinsed
1 tablespoon garlic powder
1 tablespoon onion powder
2 teaspoons chili powder
2 teaspoons black pepper
1/2 teaspoon cayenne powder (optional)
2 cups cooked brown rice
1/4 cup shredded cheddar cheese
Top with your choice of toppings: diced green onions, hot sauce, crushed tortilla chips

Directions:
1. In a large pot, combine zucchini, carrots, bell pepper and celery along with 1 cup of water.
2. Cook and stir vegetables. Once vegetables are halfway cooked, add fresh tomatoes and cook for about 5 minutes more.
3. Add diced tomatoes, tomato sauce, kidney beans and spices. Simmer until vegetables are thoroughly cooked.
4. Add brown rice and cook for 1-2 minutes longer.
5. Top with cheddar cheese and your choice of toppings.

This recipe turned out great! My daughter loved it and was able to pick out the pieces of everything and I spoon-fed her the broth. My husband enjoyed it as well, especially with the toppings because he loves toppings on soup. I would make it again and would switch it up by using whichever vegetables that I have on hand.


Disclosure: This recipe is sponsored by Milk Means More. All opinions are my own. Thanks for supporting the brands that makes The Nutritionist Reviews possible. Check out the Milk Means More website, Facebook page, Pinterest, YouTube and follow them on Twitter @MilkMeansMore.