Vegetables in Every Pot!

Most Americans are now too young to remember President Franklin Roosevelt’s famous message to Americans weary of a failed economy: “A chicken in every pot!”

It would serve to define a healthy society ~ and a healthy economy.

Now that we’ve experienced the worst of economic times since then, the message is still apt ~ if you modify it to: “Vegetables in every pot!”

While we don’t have the childhood diseases that led to a high mortality rate back then ~ by and large ~ we’re sicker. Ironically, there’s been plenty of food available ~ and that’s a big part of the problem. Too much of what we ingest is junk.

We look to food for diversion ~ for entertainment ~ as much as for nurturing our bodies. Unfortunately, the “nurturing” part has come up short.

There’s a very simple trick to make sure there’s a healthy soup simmering on the stove or in a crock-pot that will energize your body, and save you money, too.

Always keep a fresh supply of chopped carrots, celery and onion in the fridge. (about three carrots, three celery stalks and a medium onion). Also make sure you have some cans of chicken or vegetable broth, and diced tomatoes in the cupboard.

When you know this is a day you won’t have time to plan a decent meal, or the whole family is on the run, toss the veggies into a crock pot with a couple of cans of broth, a cup or two of water, some diced tomatoes, and maybe a dab or two of tomato paste, a tablespoon of cider vinegar, and some salt and pepper for taste.

That’s a base to get you started ~ to that you can add some shredded cabbage, a diced potato, a sliced zucchini, a can of corn kernels ~ whatever else you like!

Any left over soup can be heated up the next day for lunch.

Figure how much you would have spent picking up carry- out or going to a restaurant and put that into your savings account!