OMG NOMS New Recipe Tried!

So yesterday I bemoaned my lack of vegetables lately. I've been pretty high sugar, high protein- not a great mix. I was also bored with chicken stir fry, pot roast, and "beef stew". Thrilled to have the huge amount of recipes available to me through the internet, I went a-seeking.

And I found!!! This recipe is from Paleo Plan. I have never tried anything on this site, even though I have visited a time or two before. Fortunately, this first try was a huge success. It's called Light Vegetable Soup. It's very simple, very flavorful, and doesn't take much thyme. No, I'm serious. It does take a little. It was a big hit with the boyfriend, and I had trouble waiting til he got home to eat it all. He thought it needed more pepper, and I think I agree. You can add more if you wish.

Ingredients:

• 1 Tbs coconut oil
• 1/4 cup diced onion
• 1 large carrot, thinly sliced
• 1 medium zucchini, thinly sliced
• 2 tsp fresh parsley, chopped
• 1/4 tsp dried or 2 sprigs fresh thyme
• 1/8 tsp freshly ground black pepper
• 2 cups vegetable broth

Instructions:

1. In a 1 1/2 quart saucepan, cook onion in coconut oil until translucent.
2. Add all other ingredients except vegetable stock.
3. Cover and cook over low heat, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are tender, about 10 minutes.
4. Add stock, increase heat and bring to a boil.
5. Reduce heat to medium and cook until vegetables are soft, about 15-20 minutes.
6. Remove from heat and let cool slightly.
7. Optional: Remove 1/2 cup soup from pan and reserve; pour remaining soup into blender and process at low speed until smooth.
8. Combine pureed and reserved soup mixtures in saucepan and cook, stirring constantly until hot.

I followed the recipe pretty exactly, except for my failure to purchase thyme. The soup was so delicious that I can't wait to do it again with the thyme. Since this recipe is a) small, and b) light, I recommend doubling or more for anyone more than two. If you eat bread, it would be great paired  with a nice crusty loaf. That destroys the Paleo aspect, but it is a great recipe for paleos and SADs to try.

It is recommended that the cook also throw on a grilled chicken breast to make it a complete meal, but if you have a sport practice or an exercise class, this soup makes a great in-betweener meal.