No Rules 'Odds & Ends' Soup

_INGREDIENTS:

• 1500 ml vegetable stock
• 250g soup mix (This is usually a mix of dried barley, peas, and lentils)
• 3 tablespoons tomato paste
• 1 can chopped tomatoes
• 1 onion, diced
• ½ carrot, diced
• ½ capsicum, diced
• 1 stick celery, diced

_Instructions

1. Place the soup mix into a sieve and rinse with cold running water, then set aside.
2. Chop all the vegetables into a fine dice, keeping the firmer vegetables separate from the softer vegetables.
3. Heat a large pot with oil and add the firmer vegetables, garlic, carrots, onions, capsicum, celery, and spring onions. Sauté for 3-4 minutes until translucent.
4. Add the tomato paste, soup mix, and mix well. Pour in the vegetable stock and pureed tinned tomatoes. Add the fresh thyme.
5. Cover with a lid and reduce to a simmer for 35-40 minutes.
6. For the final 5-10 minutes of cooking, add the softer vegetables (broccoli and cauliflower). Add two tablespoons of balsamic vinegar and cook for 10 minutes. Add a touch of sugar if you find it's slightly too acidic.
7. Add chopped leafy greens in the final 2 minutes of cooking.
8. Season with freshly chopped herbs like parsley or basil, salt, and pepper.
9. You can store this soup in the fridge for 5 days in an airtight container. This soup can also be frozen. Freeze it in smaller containers to have a ready-to-go meal. Simply remove it from the freezer and reheat it on those busy evenings.