Healthy Cooking

Vegetable and Ground Beef Soup

• 1/2 pound lean ground beef
  
  
• Salt to taste
  
  
• 1 chopped onion
  
  
• 3 chopped stalks of celery
  
  
• 2 chopped carrots
  
  
• 2 potatoes diced
  
  
• 1 zucchini cut into slices
  
  
• 1 large can of tomatoes with juice
  
  
• 2 cups of chicken broth
  
  
• 2 cups of tomato juice
  
  
• 2 cups of water
  
  
• 1/4 cup of pearl barley
  
  
• 1/2 teaspoon of pepper
  
  
• 1 bay leaf
  
  
• Chopped parsley

Brown meat in skillet. Combine meat with remaining ingredients and simmer for 1 - 2 hours.

This can also be a great recipe for a slow cooker. I make a different type of soup like this every morning and just leave in the crock pot all day long for meals and snacks. It is great for weight control and a time saving way to have a hot meal.

For lunch I have my soup du jour and a salad or baked potato.