VEGETABLE BEEF SOUP

BUDGET-FRIENDLY: Being a penny pincher, I’m always looking for the perfect vegetable beef soup. This recipe is a good one. And like any vegetable soup, you can add or subtract ingredients to meet your family’s taste preferences. Serve with a romaine salad and breadsticks. Warmed bread pudding is good for dessert. Plan ahead: Save enough soup and bread pudding for a second meal (see Round 2: Heat and Eat, Page 2).

Ingredients

1 pound well-trimmed beef stew meat, cut into bite-size pieces

1/2 teaspoon garlic salt

4 shakes Worcestershire sauce

1 medium baking potato, peeled and cubed

1 cup thinly sliced fresh carrots

1 cup packaged angel hair coleslaw mix

1 medium onion, chopped

1 medium zucchini or

2 yellow squash, chopped

1 (10-ounce) package frozen cut green beans, thawed

1 cup frozen corn, thawed

1 (16-ounce) can no-salt-added tomato sauce

1 (14-ounce) can unsalted beef broth

1 teaspoon dried oregano

1/2 teaspoon pepper

Water

Servings: makes about 14 cups Preparation time: 20 minutes Cooking time: 8 to 10 hours on low

Place beef in a 4-quart or larger slow cooker. Sprinkle garlic salt on beef, then shake on Worcestershire sauce. Add potato, carrots, coleslaw mix, onion, squash, green beans, corn, tomato sauce, broth, oregano and pepper. Press down ingredients with the back of a large spoon. Add water to just cover vegetables. Cook on low 8 to 10 hours. Mix well, adjust seasonings and serve immediately.

Per cup: 94 calories, 8 grams protein, 2.5 grams fat (23 percent calories from fat), 0.9 gram saturated fat, 10 grams carbohydrate, 20 milligrams cholesterol, 98 milligrams sodium, 2 grams fiber.

Carb count: 0.5.