Vegetable Bean Noodle Soup

I'm going to be honest. When I made this soup I had no intention of posting about it, therefore I didn't accurately measure everything. With soup measurements tend to be not as important...I have never made soup that came out tasting anything but delicious. In the fall and winter I tend to make soups and stews quite often, but for some reason I never record what I have done. This leads to me never really making the same thing twice. Part of this is intentional (I love trying out new ideas), and part of it is that I don't always remember exactly what I have done in the past!

So there I was, two full days after actually making the soup, enjoying a quiet bowl with my latest read when I realized I really wanted to write down how I did it. It turned out really well and I wanted a record of it, even if it wasn't exact, so I could either make it again in the future, or, more likely, use it's basic principles to come up with something else! I took a couple more bites before I was able to pull myself away long enough to take a few pictures of it. Thus, what you see is a few days old, but still very good soup. Which brings me to another point...I always make a ridiculous amount of soup/stew and eat it for several days and then freeze the rest. And yes, it is that thick and wonderful on purpose. I like my broth/goodness ratio to be very skewed towards goodness. :)

I'll definitely be making some version of this again. All of the flavors worked so well together and with the noodles and beans it was really quite filling (and unlike some soups, still plenty of energy for my runs the next morning)!

Vegetable Bean Noodle Soup
How I Did It:

2 quarts (2 32 oz cartons) organic low sodium vegetable broth
2 cans no salt added diced tomatoes (with juice)
1 onion, chopped
1 tsp garlic
1 tbsp parsley
3 tbsp thyme
2 tbsp basil
2 tbsp oregano
1 1/4 cup lentils
3 turnips, peeled and chopped
4 carrots, peeled and chopped
1 package celery heart, chopped
1 summer squash, chopped
1 can black eyed-peas, rinsed
1 can green pigeon peas, rinsed
4 cups yolk-free egg noodles

1. Pour broth and diced tomatoes into a large soup pot on high. While it is coming to a boil, prepare your vegetables. After it comes to a boil, add onion, half of each of the spices, and all the lentils and reduce heat to medium.

2. Add the vegetables in as they are ready, saving the squash for last.

3. Thoroughly rinse your beans before adding to the pot (to remove excess salt). Reduce heat to medium-low and add the rest of the spices.

4. Cook covered on medium-low until the texture of your vegetables is to your liking. About 10 minutes before you are ready to serve, add the noodles in and mix well.

5. Serve immediately or store in the refrigerator for late enjoyment. It will taste even better the next couple days once all of the flavors have had a chance to meld together, but keep in mind that the noodles will continue to absorb the broth.