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1
Just to let you know up front, this is a one pot soup. This means that you will use another bowl to put ingredients in after cooking, but all the cooking will happen in the same pot. Please, please, please follow this rule, you will never forgive yourself otherwise!
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2
In a large Dutch oven, one that is not Teflon coated, brown the ground sausage until completely cooked. Once it is browned, move the sausage into a large bowl off to the side.
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3
Heat up a little olive oil in your pot over medium heat with the minced garlic. Add the veggies in the order listed above cooking each for several minutes before adding the next veggie. The goal is to have the carrots almost completely tender by the time that the zucchini are done cooking. In other words, toss in the carrots and cook for about five minutes. Next, add the onions and cook for a few minutes. Then add the red bell pepper and cook for a few minutes; follow these same steps with the mushrooms and zucchini. Lastly, toss in the diced tomatoes and stir around for a few minutes.
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4
Now it's time to holler at your hubby or kid or whoever sitting on the couch to help you pour all the veggies into the bowl with the sausage in it.
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5
Now, turn the heat on your pot up just a tiny bit and pour in one can of the beef broth. Use a wire whisk, and act like a mad lady while whisking all those little flavor bits into the beef broth. This is called deglazing the pot, and is a prime step to making a perfect pot of soup!
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6
Once you have all the bits whisked into the beef broth add the Italian seasoning, basil, and ground pepper. Then pour in all the veggies and sausage waiting anxiously in the bowl. Also, go ahead and throw in the spaghetti sauce, salsa, remaining beef broth, and water. Mix it all together really well.
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7
Bring the soup to a boil, and add the rice. Let boil for one minute, then reduce heat and cover with a lid. After 10 minutes, remove the lid and give it a stir. Grab a clean spoon for tasting, and make sure that both the rice and carrots are cooked completely.
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8
Once those two items are tender, toss in the chopped spinach. I'm sure you are thinking that you have a lot of spinach on that cutting board, but trust me on this, it is going to cook down to nearly nothing while adding tons of good health. Stir it around a few times, and now your soup is ready to serve! Enjoy!
