[Mrs. Strutt]

So much is sounding so yummy. But I am watching my diet so I will have to save anything with heavy calories for a free day.

My favorite training recipe...tastes good and is good for you:

"Everything but the Kitchen Sink" Vegetable Soup

1 medium onion, medium chopped
1 cup mushrooms, medium chopped
1 medium head garlic, outer papery skins removed and top third of head cut off and discarded
1 red bell pepper, chopped medium
1 T. tomato paste

Preheat oven to 450F. Toss veggies with paste. Bake until veggies are well browned, about 40-45 minutes.

In a large soup pot, combine browned veggies with nine cups low-sodium chicken broth and:

2 medium leeks, cleaned with green parts chopped (slice white parts thinly crosswise and reserved)
10 sprigs fresh parsley leaves
4 sprigs fresh thyme
2 bay leaves
1/2 cup sliced mushrooms

Cover and bring to simmer over medium-high heat, then reduce heat to medium-low and simmer, partially covered, for 30 minutes. Remove garlic head and squeeze paste into a bowl and mash until a fine paste forms. Strain stock through a fine mesh strainer.

In now-empty pot, put:

2 cups diced fresh tomatoes
White parts of leeks
Strained broth
Garlic paste
1 cup fresh green beans
1 cup sliced summer squash

Bring to simmer over medium-high heat, then reduce heat to medium-low and simmer, partially covered, until vegetables are almost tender when poked, about 15-20 minutes. Stir in:

4 heaping cups baby spinach, washed, stemmed, and leaves cut into chiffonade

and heat just until wilted, about 3-5 minutes. Stir in:

2 T. fresh minced parsley leaves
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Serve.