| 1 | Large onioin, chopped |
| 1 | Bulb garlic, sliced |
| 6 | To 8 carrots, sliced |
| 5 | Celery stalks, chopped |
| 1/4 | To 1/2 red cabbage, chopped |
| 1/4 | To 1/2 green cabbage, chopped |
| 1 | Red pepper, diced |
| 15 | Shiitake mushrooms, sliced (remove stems) |
| 8 | To 10 small new potatoes (red or white) |
| 1 28-ounce | Can organic stewed tomatoes |
| | Black pepper to taste |
1. Saute onion and garlic in spices of choice with olive oil over medium heat in the bottom of an 8-quart soup pot until soft (5 min).
2. Add veggies one group at a time and cook until slightly soft (5 min each).
3. Add canned tomatoes and cooked or canned beans or parmesan rinds. Heat through.
4. Add water (or astragalus broth) to almost fill the pot. Bring to a boil.
5. Turn down to simmer until all vegetables are cooked, about an hour and a half.
6. Add black pepper and more spices to taste.
Version 1: Italian style -- 2 parmesan rinds; white beans; basil, rosemary, thyme and oregano to taste.
Version 2: Eastern style -- Black beans; coriander, nutmeg, allspice, and clove to taste.
Version 3: Mexican style -- Chili beans; cumin, cayenne, chili powder to taste; top with fresh cilantro
Serve soup with bread and cheese or cooked rice, couscous, or orzo. Grated cheese can be lightly sprinkled over the top. If you eat meat, cooked cubed meat or poultry can be added instead of the beans for protein.