Mama G's Autumn Soup

Autumn is here & so are cold days & nights. There is nothing quite like sitting with a cup of hot homemade soup, all cuddled up in a blanket, snuggled by a fire. Here is a soup I like to make that varies from time to time depending on the ingredients in my cupboard. This recipe is my most recent. Hope you enjoy it. It's loaded with vitamins & minerals & it warms the soul. So pull on a blanket, pour yourself a cup & make a fire(or turn the fire on as I do with my electric one..heehee) & enjoy! :) 

Ingredients :                      

•  Grapeseed oil, 1-10 oz.fresh white mushrooms(rinsed, dried & chopped)
• 2 carrots(peeled & chopped into half coins)
• 2 leeks(peeled,washed&coined)
• 2 shallots (peeled & chopped)
• fresh bag spinach(rinsed)
• 1 lb.frozen broccoli
• 1 cup fresh lentils
• 1 can green beans, drained(or 1 1/2 cups fresh or frozen)
• 1 can pinto beans(rinsed & drained) 
• 4 red potatoes(washed & chopped small)
• 2 boxes vegetable broth(32 oz.each)
• dried 1 tsp of each of these: oregano, basil, celery salt, garlic salt, onion powder, turmeric, and ground black pepper, and gomashio
• 1 tsp dried of each of these: chives & cumin
• 2 tsps. sea salt & 1 sheet of Nori ground in a coffee grinder(you can shred into tiny pieces if you don't own a grinder).                                              

1. Chop all ingredients, wash & dry & set aside. Prep is the key to making it go smoothly.
2. Heat 1 Tbsp. grapeseed oil in stock put & throw in shallots. Cook till soft.                             
3. Throw in mushrooms. Cook till soft. Add 2 Tbsp. veg.broth.
4. Throw in Leeks. Cook for 3 mins. Add 1 Tbsp. grapeseed oil.
5. Throw in carrots & red potatoes. Cook for 5 minutes. Add more broth as needed- make sure covers veggies.
6. Add 12 cups water & stir. Add fresh spinach, broccoli, green beans, pinto beans & lentils. Cook for 5 mins.
7. Add 1 last Tbsp. Grapeseed oil & all dried herbs, spices/ seasoning EXCEPT for Gomashio, Nori, S&P. Stir & cook for 15 mins.
8. Pour in rest of vegetable broth, S & P. Cook for 20 mins.
9. Add Gomashio & Nori & cook for 5 mins.

This may seem to take awhile, but it is worth it & you can do stuff around the house during each interval of cooking time. Perhaps pick out a great classic movie to watch with your soup? ;)
Hope you enjoy! Please let me know if you enjoyed or any variations you might have used.
HAPPY AUTUMN!