Basic Pursuits

I borrowed this idea from Rachel Ray and built on it. Here are some of the choices I made and the reasons I made them.

Black-eyed peas - I had them in the pantry

Frozen lima beans - I had them in the freezer

Frozen spinach - I had it in the freezer

Bottom line - Just about any bean choices should work. Note: the canned peas tended to thicken the broth.

Any green leafy vegetable will work. The downside to spinach is that it ain't pretty after it's been in the soup for a while. Try kale or swiss chard. The upside to spinach is that it comes frozen and ready to throw in the pot.

My nutrition analyses from cron-o-meter is based on the ingredients listed below.

I tried the chopped basil on top, but not the onions. Very nice, but no big deal if you don't have fresh basil.

I did not put the stale bread into the soup. I loved it just the way it turned out. The bread would make for thicker, heartier broth, but add little but carbs to the nutrition profile.