Updated

It’s harvest season for backyard gardeners, and there is nothing more satisfying than creating a dish made from the bounty of your hard work and care. My garden vegetable soup is a wonderful way to use so much of what you planted. This soup is not only flavorful but so good for you. Loaded with all those fresh veggies and cooked in a broth seasoned with flavorful herbs. Use whatever veggies you have grown — from beans to squash to turnips to beets. Just ensure the root veggies get a few extra minutes of cooking time. No matter what combination you use, this delicious and easy soup will have you enjoying all those homegrown veggies!

Belle’s Garden Vegetable Soup

8 cups chicken broth

1/3 cup chopped fresh herbs (basil, oregano, rosemary, thyme, parsley)

½ teaspoon salt

½ teaspoon pepper

1 cup coarsely chopped carrots (or parsnips or beets)

1 cup snap peas (cut in half)

1 cup of zucchini coarsely chopped (or yellow squash)

1 cup green beans (trimmed and cut in half)

1 small turnip (or potato) peeled and cubed

3 cups chopped greens (beet, turnip, spinach)

In a large pot, heat the chicken broth to boiling. Add the carrots. Bring the broth back to a boil, then reduce heat to medium and cook for about three minutes. Add the snap peas, beans, and other veggies you like and cook until tender (about another 3 minutes). Add the greens and reduce heat to simmer. Cover the pot. Let it cook for another 2 minutes. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Brenda Stanley of Blackfoot is the mother of five children, including two sets of twins and a grandmother of eight. She is a cookbook author and novelist. For more recipes and information, visit her website www.talesofthedinnerbelle.com.