"All You Can Eat" Cabbage Soup

Ingredients

• 1 Tbsp olive oil
• 4 cloves garlic
• 1 large onion
• 1/2 lb carrots
• 1/2 bunch celery
• 1 green bell pepper
• 1/2 lb frozen green beans
• 28 oz can diced tomatoes
• 8 oz can tomato sauce
• 1/2 head green cabbage
• 6 cups vegetable broth
• 1/4 bunch fresh parsley, chopped
• 1/2 Tbsp smoked paprika
• 1 tsp dried oregano
• 1/2 tsp dried thyme
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 1-2 Tbsp lemon juice

Directions

1. Finely chop the garlic, then cut the onion into small dice. Warm the olive oil in a large soup pot over medium heat, add the garlic and onion, and cook until the onion turns soft and translucent.
2. As that base cooks, prep the next vegetables: peel the carrots and cut them into slices, slice the celery, and chop the bell pepper into dice. Tip the carrots, celery, bell pepper, and frozen green beans into the pot, then pour in the diced tomatoes with all their liquid and the tomato sauce. Stir everything together.
3. While the vegetables begin warming through, cut the cabbage into one-inch pieces, either strips or squares, and add it to the pot. Pour in the vegetable broth, then add the chopped parsley, paprika, oregano, thyme, and a little freshly cracked pepper. Stir again so everything is evenly mixed.
4. Cover the pot and bring the soup to a boil. When it reaches a boil, lower the heat to medium-low and simmer until the cabbage is tender, about 20 minutes. Take the pot off the heat and season with salt to taste, beginning with about 1/2 tsp and adding more as you like. The amount you need will depend on your broth and your palate, but enough salt is what makes the vegetables taste lively. Stir in one tablespoon lemon juice to finish, then add more if you want a brighter flavor.