Potato Stew

This is a fairly simple soup with a lot of nutritional value and if you leave out the bacon it makes a nice vegetarian meal. (It's also less fattening.) It goes together quickly - the only prep work is peeling and cutting the potatoes if you use frozen vegetables and pre-cooked bacon. And it cooks up in about twenty to thirty minutes.

Ingredients:

• 4 medium potatoes
• 1 cup milk
• 1 cup water
• 1 cup corn
• 1/2 chopped spinach
• 1/4 crumbled bacon
• garlic salt

Peel and cube potatoes. Add to saucepan with milk, water, remaining vegetables and bacon if using. Salt to taste. Cook for 20 to 30 minutes. Begin over medium heat. When it begins to boil turn to medium low.

Eggplant in Tomato Sauce

I decided I'd try to introduce a little more variety into the vegetables I feed my family. At first I thought I'd add the eggplant to a pasta sauce and serve it over pasta, but when I went to make the dinner I realized I had much more eggplant than tomatoes. When I mixed it up I realized it didn't really need the pasta at all.

Ingredients:

• One large eggplant peeled and cut into cubes
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• garlic salt
• Parmesan cheese
• 1 can diced tomatoes
• 1 can tomato sauce
• 1 tablespoon basil

Heat the oil in a pan. Add eggplant. Sprinkle salt over eggplant. Brown on all sides. Sprinkle cheese over browned eggplant and let melt.

Add tomatoes, sauce and basil. Simmer for 10 to 20 minutes. Sprinkle with cheese and serve warm.

Spicy Carrot Soup

This soup is a bit spicy, so I wouldn't serve it as a main dish. But it makes a good side dish or appetizer or even a mid afternoon snack. The pureed vegetables give the soup a nice creaminess.

• 3 tbsp oil
• 1/2 onion
• 1/2 tsp ginger
• 1 tsp curry powder
• 16 oz carrots (chopped)
• 1 large potato (peeled and chopped)
• 3 cups V8 (and 3 cups water)

Heat oil in deep saucepan. Add vegetables. Salt and pepper to taste. Cook until softened (about 15 minutes). Add liquid and spices then cook an additional 15 to 20 minutes.

Puree the mixture. If necessary gently reheat.