Healthy Vegetable Orzo Soup

This soup is the perfect post holidays meal, it feels like you’re indulging when actually it’s really healthy and packed full of vegetables. You won’t even miss the meat. It’s also a really good way to use up any leftover veggies that you have. I know I’ve been eating like crazy this holiday season and can’t imagine I’m the only one. So this is the perfect easy light soup when trying to turn things around and still feel good about it!

Ingredients

• 2 tbsp. olive oil
• 1/2 cup yellow onion, small dice
• 3-4 garlic cloves, peeled and minced
• 1 cup carrot, peeled and small diced
• 3/4 cup celery, small diced
• 1/2 cup red pepper, seeded and small dice
• 1/2 cup yellow pepper, seeded and small dice
• 1 cup mushrooms, sliced
• 1 cup fresh or frozen corn
• 1 1/2 cup orzo, cooked
• 2 tbsp. fresh parsley, chopped
• 1 tsp. fresh thyme, chopped
• 1 tsp. rosemary, minced
• salt and black pepper to taste
• 1 Qt chicken or vegetable stock, homemade or low sodium
• 1 lemon zested
• 1/4 cup lemon juice
• 1 pinch red pepper flakes

Directions

Start by heating up a large sauce pan with the olive oil over medium heat. Add the onions and garlic and just let them get translucent. Make sure to season each layer as you go. Once that happens add the rest of the vegetables and let them just cook together.

In a separate sauce pan cook the orzo in a large pot of boiling salted water for about 8-10 minutes until al-dente. Drain and then add to the soup. I like to cook it separate so it gets the right consistency.

Once added cover everything with the stock, lemon juice, zest, and finish with the herbs and pepper flakes. Let simmer all together for about 20 minutes or so until everything is tender. Serve immediately and garnish with a little parmesan and herbs if you wish. It will keep in the fridge for around 4 days or you can freeze it for up to a month.