Rainbow Soup

1 medium onion (2 1/2 inches in diameter), chopped
2 large stalks celery, chopped
4 cloves garlic, pressed
1 medium red bell pepper
1 cup chopped carrot (you can use chopped pumpkin, if available)
1 heaping Tablespoon sweet paprika
3 teaspoons turmeric
1/2 teaspoon cinammon
1 bay leaf
A little hot sauce
1 15 oz can tomatoes, chopped
1 large leaf of chard, about 1 and 1/2 cups - can use spinach or other dark leafy green - cut into thin strips
10 oz frozen green beans (or fresh)
Salt and pepper
5 cups stock or broth (I like vegetable or chicken Better Than Boullion - but watch the saltiness)
1 T olive oil

Prep time to make it easy have everything cut ahead of time and prep time will go down.

1. In a large soup pot, put oil, onion, and celery. Cook on low heat for 5-10 minutes to develop more sweetness in the onion.

2. Add garlic and turn up the heat to medium. Cook for a minute or so and add the peppers and carrots. Cook another minute or two and add the spices. Stir and cook until fragrant - another minute or so.

3. Add tomatoes and stock, and simmer for 15 minutes. Add frozen beans and chard and simmer for another 5 minutes or until the beans are cooked. If adding cooked cubed meat such as chicken or turkey, add at this time.

4. Adjust seasonings.

Number of Servings: 9

Recipe submitted by SparkPeople user JDEFFEND.