Low Carb - Beef Vegetable Soup

I just got back from walking the dog and all I can say is...“It’s freaking cold outside”.  My face and hands are frozen through to the bone - Burrrrrrrrrrrrr.  I needed something to warm me up from the inside out.

I had planned on making a Pot Roast with the chuck that I had in the fridge, but when I got back from my walk, soup sounded a lot better.  So the pot roast got the axe and a big pot of beef vegetable soup moved in.

Why low carb…
because I have been eating a high carb/low carb rotation for the last couple of months and I figured that if I made a low carb soup, I could add carbs if I wanted too, but I couldn’t take them out - once I put them in.  My usual carb add-ins are barley, beans, potatoes, pasta or rice and sometimes corn.

Tonight I decided to simply bump up the veggies, making it hearty without being heavy.  This was a delicious decision.  I seasoned the soup with herbs de province, which I would highly recommend, but if you don’t have any, you can sub thyme.  It won’t be the same – but it will still be yummy.

When I make a beef soup, I always add a combination of beef and chicken broth.  It creates a nice balance of flavor that doesn’t lean one way or the other.  I learned this a long time ago when I discovered… that’s what makes French Onion Soup taste so good.

I think it’s important to mention, that my favorite canned broth is Swanson (no, I don’t get paid to say that, but I should).  When making soup with canned broth, remember, the quality of your soup will be determined by the quality of your broth.

Like with any soup, you can add or subtract any vegetable that you like. Tonight's soup came about with ingredients that I had in my fridge.  The only thing that needs to be consistent is how much liquid to seasoning (the base broth).  After that... everything but the kitchen sink can make its way into the soup.

Low Carb Beef Vegetable Soup

2          pounds             beef chuck, cut into small cubes

1          large                onion, chopped small

2          large                stalks celery, chopped small

2          large                carrots, cubed small

2          cloves              garlic, minced

1 ½      tsp.                  kosher salt (plus more for meat)

¼         tsp.                  black pepper (plus more for meat)

14        oz. can             Italian stewed tomatoes

14        oz. can             beef broth

14        oz. can             chicken broth

8          oz. tray             mushrooms, sliced

½         head                cabbage, cut into bite sized pieces

8          oz.                   frozen or fresh green beans (1/2 pound)

¼ - ½   tsp.                  herbs de province

1. Season beef with salt and pepper; heat a large soup pot over med high heat and add about - 1 Tbsp. oil to the pot and brown meat.
2. When the meat is browned add onions, celery, carrots and garlic; let cook until onions are soft.
3. Add salt, pepper, tomatoes, beef broth, chicken broth and water.
4. Cover and let cook over med heat for about 40 min. or until beef is tender.
5. When the beef is tender; uncover; add mushrooms, cabbage, green beans and herbs.
6. Cook for an additional 15 – 20 min. over med heat or until cabbage and green beans are cooked.