Grandpa Jack’s Dieters’ Meal in One Hour Vegetable Soup

Set your timer for one hour and begin.

Over the lowest heat in a stock pot, place the oil and vegetables in the order given in the recipe. As you add the vegetables, sliced, diced or chopped as you prefer, give a little stir and turn up the heat. By the time you get to the tomatoes, the pot should be about half full. Cook and stir for a few minutes. Now add the liquids and seasonings. Keep the heat on high until you have a full rolling boil. Lower heat and simmer gently, uncovered, for the remainder of the hour. About ten minutes before the hour is up, you may add rice or pasta, if you like. Cover and let stand until you are ready to eat.

Serve with a dusting of freshly grated Parmesan cheese (or not). Great the second day and it freezes well. A little French bread, and you have a meal in itself.

Hot tip: do not add pasta or rice if you are not going to be eating it for that meal. It tends to absorb a lot of the liquid if it stands, and doesn’t freeze as well.

I use leftover salad even with vinaigrette, dried herbs, and a variety of vegetables in this soup, or sometimes toss in a can of Veg-All if my vegetable drawer is a little skimpy.