Wednesday, August 10, 2011

Veggie Soup with Rice

Hello, everyone! It's good to be back, and I really hope this posts well, and I can comment on my site and on yours. Thanks to Vegan Flower, we added on Firefox, and that's what I'm using to create this current post. Since this is my first post using Firefox, I have a new question: how do we upload pictures so that they stay in the order we want? I've tried two times so far. The first time, Firefox loaded them alphabetically, not the way I had intended. So, then I went back and changed all my pics names, so that they were alphabetical and in the order I wanted them to upload. But now Firefox hasn't loaded them alphabetically! This will be important when I have a post that has recipe steps involved with photos; I'll need them to be in order. Anyone? Vegan Flower?

I thought I'd give you a very short summary of what's been going on with us in the last couple of months. G's toe's skin has finally healed, but his toe joint and foot are still in pain. SR's wrist is still in pain, even after a cortisone shot. I'm trying to talk her into acupuncture. I pulled a calf muscle, the same one three times now in two years. And, I'm just healing from a back sprain. Ugh. I did earn my certificate to become a birth doula; that was a two and a half year process. We celebrated SR's, JK's, and both my parents' birthdays, as well as their anniversary, so we've been twirling in frosting over here. Both girls graduated from the last and highest level of swimming class, and JK is proud to be a guppy! We've had appliance repairs, auto repairs, and everyone but JK got new glasses, yay. Our garden went kaput. I took pics in June, and very soon after that, the dogs ate the grapevine and most of my nectarine tree, and the almond tree died. Both pups got spayed and had cone hats at the same time, very funny. What about you? What have I missed? I've been offline, not just on blogging, but pretty much everything - just trying to enjoy the summer with my kids.

Below the photos is a simple soup recipe that is a winner every time. You can use it as a guideline to build your own delicious soups. :-)


Veggie Soup with Rice


A simple wrestling cake for JK's 5th birthday


Strawberry Tall Cakes for SR's actual 14th birthday


Cookies 'n Cream Cupcakes for SR's party - GR's grabbing one!


One of our artichoke plants, while it was thriving

Veggie Soup with Rice

Ingredients:

8 to 10 cups of fresh and/or frozen veggies, choppped
We used: broccoli, cauliflower, orange carrots, yellow carrots, red bell peppers, green beans, corn, and celery
1 - 32 oz. box of No Chicken Broth
1 - 15 oz. can of chopped tomatoes
1 - 15 oz. can of tomato sauce
(In a pinch, I'll use spaghetti sauce, pizza sauce V8 or tomato juice)
1 - 15 oz. can of garbanzo beans (or any beans you have on hand)
Water to cover everything by one to two inches
1 Tbs. garlic powder
Salt and pepper to taste
1 to 2 cups of leftover rice (your rice should already be cooked, or else it will soak up all the broth)

Directions:

Heat all the ingredients, except for the rice, in a large pot over medium heat for thirty to forty-five minutes. When it is bubbling, and everything is tender, add the rice. Turn down the heat to medium low, and add a bit more water if needed. Simmer for about ten more minutes, until the rice is thoroughly warmed up. Easy squeezy. Delicious and feeds five hungry vegans!



12 comments:

  1. So glad you're back! I really missed hearing about G's toe.

    The wrestling cake is awesome! All those big strong 'he-men' wading through the frosting!

    Congrats on having half of your annual Blessed Family X-mas letter written!

    ReplyDelete
  2. Pamela, thank you! Hmm, what kind of soup I'll be? Now, that's a new one!

    Hey, S.V.!! I missed all of you guys, too, really. I love your new snazzy blog titles. And, don't fret: if anything new comes up with his toe, you'll be the first to know.

    ReplyDelete
  3. AHHH! That wrestling cake is awesome <3

    ReplyDelete
  4. Hey,

    Great to see you back and to catch up on all the news. Sorry to hear you guys still have sprains and pains...and about your garden...but that soup looks like the perfect comforting and healing food to cure all one's woes. Tomato-based veggie soup is my favorite hands-down...looking at the bowl of soup is making me crave some.

    As usual, the cakes are all delicious-looking and spectacular. Strawberry "tall" cakes...good one! And, those he-men in the frosting looks like fun!

    Do your kids do swim class at YMCA? I remember the guppies and the different names for each level...it made it fun to work your way up the swimming chain. I bet JK makes a cute guppy.

    And congrats on your birth doula qualification!

    ReplyDelete
  5. Glad to see you back! Looks like quite a busy few months. Congrats on the doula certification!

    I really like the cake decorations, as well as seeing the artichokes growing. It's amazing how separated we can get from our food. Even garden struggles can show how delicate and valuable our food is, right?

    ReplyDelete
  6. Hello my friend. I have missed you terribly and I am glad you are back! You have had some adventures in your away time for sure!
    I am waiting to get a new computer at the moment, mine died so I am at the public library..."how thrilling, she says, as she leans away from the 14 pack a day smoker looking at her while she types frantically"
    I think your soup sounds awesome and those tall cupcakes...to die for!!
    Extra hugs,
    Viv

    ReplyDelete
  7. So glad to see you back! I don't use Firefox, so I'm no help there...sorry. But, WOW...what a summer you've had so far.
    Congrats on your doula certification!
    I sure hope everyone in your family heals up soon!
    Love the wrestling cake....too cute!
    And your soup sounds delish!

    ReplyDelete
  8. My goodness you've had a busy few months!! Congratulations on your certification!

    ReplyDelete
  9. So much has happened! I'm glad you were still taking pictures of the cakes along the way...

    ReplyDelete
  10. Thank you, Lacey! That was the easiest of all the cakes. :-)

    Thanks Rose for everything you said. Everyone's bodies are healing okay, except for SR's. :-( I'm not sure what to do anymore. The garden will come back again - except for the eaten plants... You know me and cakes, yay! We don't swim through the YMCA but parks and rec, which is very similar. And inexpensive too! Thanks for the congrats on the doula cert.

    Hi, Jessica - thanks for the congrats. The artichokes were beautiful, that's for sure. I certainly do appreciate those farmers who turn out amazing food for us to eat!

    Hey, Viv, I'm glad to see you back too! Sorry you're having computer probs - didn't you have some before too? That strawberry cupcake was yummy! But, the soup is too, thanks!

    Thanks, Michelle! A lot has happened. You don't realize it until you try to summarize things.

    Fayinagirl, thank you!

    FoodFeud, but of course! :-)

    ReplyDelete
  11. Welcome back! I always enjoy reading and seeing your goodies--they inspire me. Keep up the good work.

    ReplyDelete
  12. Hmmm...one of those mysterious times when I just KNEW I'd commented but in reality I'm sure a kid crisis pulled me away before I typed my thoughts out...the wrestling cake makes me smile, as I'm sure it did your son. We're finishing up a strawberry unit - we've made shortcake, but we'll have to try your tall cakes, too. Glad you're back! I've got some reading catch up to do!

    ReplyDelete