When I was a kid, there was a book I loved called 'Soup from a Stone.' It's in a poor village where people are hungry, and a visitor comes around claiming that she can make soup from a stone. (Hence the book's catchphrase: "Soup from a stone? Fancy that!") She convinces the locals to throw in little bits of whatever they've got on hand... a carrot, a potato... and before you know it, they have delicious soup!
I love soup, for many reasons. 1) It's dead simple. 2) It's generally pretty good for you. 3) It's an easy way to use up otherwise unusable things and thereby save money.
This soup started with a hunk of collard greens I'd cooked and frozen earlier this year. Then some lentils, a handful of nearly expired baby carrots, and a potato that was starting to grow eyes. Chuck in the crock pot and serve. Couldn't be easier.
Soup from a stone? Fancy that!
2 cups frozen greens
1 cup dry brown lentils
1 can diced tomatoes + 1 can water
1/2 cup sliced carrots
1 potato, peeled and diced
1 tsp vegetable bouillon (I used 'Better Than Beef')
Cook on low in a crock pot for 8 hours.
