Low Fat Mushroom and Brown Rice Soup

This is one of my most favorites soups......comfort food, if you like. I love the use of left over cooked brown rice.  The chewy rice makes the soup very filling.  So, one just needs to add some green salad and fresh crusty bread and that takes care of the dinner time! AND it is healthy, low fat, wholesome, tasty and easy.....need I say more?

Yields 4 big helpings

Ingredients :

1 tbsp olive oil
400 gm white fresh button mushroom slices thinly
1 big white onion chopped finely
1 cup carrots shredded/cut into matchsticks
1 Garlic clove crushed
1 tsp any dried herbs you have at hand - thyme, basil, oregano, parsley - all work well here
1 litre vegetable stock or 2 stock cubes dissolved in water
3/4 cup(more if you like!) leftover cooked brown rice (you can use cooked red kidney beans or fresh corn too in case you don't have leftover brown rice.  DON'T use white rice.  It will make the soup gooey and mushy)
salt and pepper to taste


Method :
1.  Mix 2 cup water with vegetable stock and bring to a boil on high heat.
2.  Meanwhile, in a fairly large saucepan, heat olive oil on high and add chopped onions and garlic. Cook for 2-3 minutes till the onions turn pink.
3. Add carrots and stir fry on high heat for about a minute, before adding mushrooms.  Again stir fry the vegetables  for a minute or so and then add brown rice(if you are using red kidney beans/corn, add them after onions and garlic)
4.  Stir in dried herbs, salt and pepper.
5.  Add the stock(which should be boiling hot by now) and bring the whole mixture to a boil and let it simmer for about 10 minutes.
Serving suggestion: serve with warm crusty bread and a simple green salad to complete the meal.

Adapted from:  Some old issue of Good Housekeeping.  I have played around with the original recipe a little bit to suit my preferences.