Spring is in the air people! The birds have been singing, we’ve had a lot of warm sunny days and I’m personally absolutely thrilled! So are my buddies, obviously.

Despite good weather being on the cusp, there is snow on the horizon, and I decided to make some tummy warming soup. The kind that fills you up, makes you happy, and tastes unbelievably decadent. Although, it’s healthier for you and easy to make in one pot!

One pot meals are my  jam. Because I literally hate doing all the dishes and when you cook at home, dishes pile up everywhere. It’s the one major downside to eating at home, in my opinion. The good outweighs the bad though, delicious food made to show how much you love your family, that is winning every time.

I found this recipe on one of my favorite blogs Carls Bad Cravings. I had to tweak it though to fit my nutritional needs- lower carb, no meat {Lent}, and limited dairy. I have eliminated most dairy for over a week now, and I feel so good! Less bloat, more energy and I have restarted my weight loss from the plateau I’ve been in for a few months. I say limited, because I completely put parmesan cheese in this soup, and I’m not upset about it! 😉

Vegetable Lasagna Soup

Ingredients

• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 2 tbsp grass-fed butter or ghee
• 1 cup carrots, diced
• 1 large onion, diced
• 1 red bell pepper, diced
• 4-5 tbsp minced garlic
• 1 tsp each of dried basil, oregano, thyme, crushed red pepper and garlic powder
• 8 cups chicken stock
• 1/2 tsp xantham gum
• 1-2 tbsp gluten-free cornstarch {depending on how thick you want your soup}
• 15 oz can cannellini beans
• 2 bay leaves
• 8 oz of uncooked pasta of choice {I use thinslim pasta}
• 1 cup cashew milk {or almond milk, cream, milk, etc}
• 9 oz fresh spinach, chopped
• 1 cup parmesan cheese, shredded or grated
• water to thin recipe, if desired
• salt and pepper, to taste

Directions

Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil and 2 tablespoons of butter/ghee in a large Dutch oven/soup pot over medium high heat. Add onions and carrots, cook for 4-5 minutes while stirring. Add bell pepper and garlic and cook for 1 minute, until garlic is fragrant. Add in all your spices and mix into vegetables. Sprinkle in xantham gum.

Turn heat to medium low and gradually stir in 7 cups of the chicken broth. Stir in beans, bay leaves and pasta, bring to a boil then reduce to simmer to allow vegetables to fully soften and pasta to cook. Stir occasionally so pasta doesn’t stick to the bottom (approximately 15-20 minutes).

Whisk 1-2 tablespoons cornstarch with 1 cup additional chicken broth and add to soup, to thicken.

Turn heat to low, discard bay leaf and stir in milk {of choice} and spinach, warming through. Stir in 1 cup Parmesan cheese until melted. Stir in additional chicken broth or water if desired for a less “chunky” soup. Season with additional salt and pepper to taste.

Now it’s time to enjoy! This is a thick, creamy soup that is so good. I didn’t miss the meat, but if you want to add it, go ahead!

What I love most about soup is that it is so versatile. You can add anything to it, and it usually will end up being the best bowl of soup you’ve ever had!

So while we have some snow coming our way over the next week, grab your veggies and get chopping! Soup’s on!