CHEESE AND HEALTH

Cheese can be part of a healthy diet if you know which ones are the best choices and know how to use them. Cheese can be high in sodium and fat, but it also delivers powerful nutrients. A 1-ounce serving can pack up to a third of your daily calcium, plus protein and vitamin D, a critical nutrient many Americans don't get enough of. The trick is to know which kinds of cheeses are best and how to use them. We will cover six of healthy cheese and a few healthy cheese recipes over the next two weeks, using the big six.

WHAT’S ON HAND VEGETABLE SOUP

Here is a simple recipe for chunky vegetable soup using ingredients that you have on hand. This is easy to make and can be served as a starter or as a main course. Don’t worry if you don’t have every vegetable listed; this soup recipe is very flexible. Use whatever you have on hand.
Vegetable soup
1 onion, diced
2 stalks celery, thinly sliced
2 carrots, thinly sliced
2 teaspoons vegetable oil
8 cups water or low sodium or low fat vegetable stock
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 sweet potato or rutabaga, diced
1 cup green beans, cut into bite-size pieces
1/2 cup fresh peas
1 cup chopped cabbage, kale, collards, or other green
1 tablespoon fresh or 1 teaspoon dried herbs (thyme, rosemary, tarragon, savory, etc.)
1/2 cup minced fresh parsley
salt and black pepper to taste

Place onion, celery, carrots, and oil in large soup pot. Sauté 10 minutes over medium heat until onions are soft.

Add water or stock, garlic, potatoes, beans, and vegetables. Bring to boil. Cover and simmer 20 to 30 minutes until potatoes are tender.

Add remaining ingredients except parsley, and seasonings. Simmer 10 minutes until vegetables are tender.

Remove from heat. Stir in parsley. Season with salt and black pepper