Vegetable Soup

Ingredients:

• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 2 leeks (white part only), quartered and sliced thinly
• 3 carrots, peeled and diced small
• 3 parsnips, peeled and diced small
• 3 ribs celery, diced small
• 2 small red potatoes, peeled and diced small
• Salt
• Black pepper
• 1 teaspoons dried parsley
• 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
• 4 cloves garlic, pressed through garlic press
• 1 (14.5 / 411 gram) can whole tomatoes, drained and seeded, and diced small
• 6 cups vegetables broth or chicken broth
• ½ cup peas
• ½ cup corn kernels
• 1 ½ cups finely chopped kale
• 1 tablespoon chopped, fresh parsley
• Small squeeze of lemon

Preparation:

-Place a medium-large soup pot over medium-high heat, and add in the butter and the oil; once melted together, add in the leeks, carrots, parsnips, celery and diced potatoes, plus a pinch or two of salt and black pepper, and cook those together for about 3-4 minutes, or until they begin to become slightly translucent.

-Add the Italian seasoning and the dried parsley, along with the garlic, and stir those in to incorporate; add the tomatoes followed by the vegetable or chicken stock, and bring to the boil; once boiling, reduce the heat so that the soup is gently simmering, cover, and allow to cook for 15 minutes, or until the vegetables are tender yet have a slight bite still.

-Turn the heat off the soup, stir in the peas, kale, chopped parsley and the small squeeze of lemon, and taste to see if any additional salt/pepper is needed, and serve.