Vegetarian Soup

The other day, I had a killer headache that just would not go away. When I have these type of headaches, there is only one kind of food that I want: clear broth soups with a spicy kick. This soup was perfect for these needs.

In many ways, it is a "typical" vegetable soup, but it becomes unique with a spicy touch, avocado, and green chilies. I really liked this soup. It made so much soup, that I froze leftovers. The next time I am sick or have another one of my headaches, I will eat that leftover soup. It's also perfect for a gloomy, rainy day. Ahh, it was so satisfying. :)

Once again, I found this recipe at allrecipes.com but I changed it a bit and made it my own.

Vegetarian Soup

Ingredients:
*olive oil
*1 package (1 pound) frozen pepper and onion stir fry mix
*1-2 cloves garlic, minced
*cumin (1 tbsp, approx.)
*1 (28 ounce) can of diced tomatoes
*2 (4 ounce each) cans of diced green chilies, drained
*1-2 chipotle peppers with adobe sauce, chopped (add adobe sauce from can as well) (optional)
*4 cans (14 ounce each) vegetable broth
*1 can of corn, drained
*1 can of black beans, drained and rinsed
*salt and pepper and cayenne pepper (added to your preference of taste)
*shredded cheddar cheese
*avocado, peeled, pitted, diced
*cilantro (optional)
*sour cream (optional)

Directions:
(1) Heat olive oil in large soup pan. Add stir fry mix, garlic and cumin until tender (approx. 5 minutes).
(2) Mix in tomatoes, chilies, chipotles (optional). Stir and heat. Add broth and spices. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low, and simmer about 30 minutes.
(3) Add corn and beans to soup, stir and heat until warm. Pour into bowls. Top with cheese, avocado, and cilantro (optional) and sour cream (optional). Enjoy!


Comments:
*If you want to make it with fresher ingredients, instead of the stir fry, use a few different colored peppers and an onion. The stir fry mix just cuts down on the time it takes to get the veggies tender.

*If you want to make it vegan, just don't add the cheese at the end. This is a very nutrition-packed meal for those vegans out there.

*I like to dip bread of any kind into this soup. Paul liked dipping tortilla chips. Go crazy! Be creative! And let me know what you prefer! :)

*If you want a spicier soup, add more green chilies, chipotles, cumin, and/or cayenne pepper. Alternatively, if you want it more mild, do the opposite.