Recipe: Eight-Vegetable Soup with Millet

EIGHT-VEGETABLE SOUP WITH MILLET

"You'll find millet, a "rice-like" grain bought in health food stores, in this hearty soup from Misty L. Sarvis, of Seeley Lake, Montana."

1 cup water
1/4 cup hulled millet
1 tablespoon margarine
3 cups coarsely chopped onion
2 1/4 cups coarsely chopped zucchini
2 cups coarsely chopped carrot
2 cups coarsely chopped unpeeled red potato
2 cups coarsely chopped green beans
1 1/2 cups coarsely chopped celery and leaves
5 cans (10 1/2-ounces each) low-sodium chicken broth (or about 6 1/2 cups homemade chicken broth)
2 cups coarsely chopped unpeeled tomato
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1/2 teaspoon dried whole basil
1/2 teaspoon dried whole thyme
1 bay leaf
1 cup 1% low-fat milk
1 cup finely shredded fresh spinach

TO PREPARE THE MILLET:
Bring 1 cup water to a boil in a medium saucepan; add hulled millet. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer 25 minutes or until millet is tender and liquid is absorbed. Remove saucepan from heat, and fluff millet with a fork; set aside.

TO PREPARE THE SOUP:
Melt margarine in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat; add onion, and saute 5 minutes. Add zucchini and next 11 ingredients; bring to a boil. Reduce heat, and simmer, uncovered, 45 minutes or until vegetables are tender. Remove from heat. Discard bay leaf.

Position knife blade in food processor bowl; add 2 cups vegetable mixture. Process 30 seconds or until smooth; pour into a bowl. Repeat procedure with remaining vegetable mixture.

Return mixture to Dutch oven; place over medium heat, and add millet, milk, and spinach. Cook mixture 5 minutes or until thoroughly heated.

Note: Freeze extra soup in an airtight container up to 3 months, if desired.

Makes 3 3/4 quarts
Source: Magazine recipe clipping: Cooking Light magazine, not dated