calories

I looked in my refrigerator and had a slew of vegetables I wanted to use up from my CSA mystery box from Mariquita Farms. What about that soup my mother used to make with cabbage, celery, onions, carrots.... It was some sort of Weight Watcher's soup that she always claimed you'd burn calories eating it. Did I mention that my mother was always on a diet and wanted to lose 5 pounds! Anyway I made a big pot and ate a few bowls laughing at the fact that I was losing weight as I was eating. I even threw in a can of pigeon peas left over from an old beau. I went out to my balcony and picked a few leaves of thyme and Greek oregano and threw that in as well. I know that wasn't in my mother's recipe but nor were the pigeon peas.

CALORIE-LESS MYSTERY SOUP

1 small head Savoy cabbage, chopped

1 yellow onion, chopped

1 large carrot, diced

3 stalks celery, diced

1 can (14.5 ounces) diced tomatoes

1 can (15 ounces) pigeon peas

2 cloves garlic, thinly sliced

6 cups vegetable or chicken stock

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Place everything in a soup pot and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to low and simmer for 20 to 30 minutes until the vegetables are tender.

Serves 1 hungry girl for 2 days