Warm Up with a Bowl of Low Carb Cabbage Soup with Ground Beef #Recipe

The cold has settled back in here in NC, and boy has it been chilly! With the chilly temperatures, we've also been experiencing overcast days, and some cold rain. Days like that make me want to warm up by the fire with a nice cup of tea. When it comes to meal times, there's nothing like warming up with a bowl of hearty homemade soup.

We try to eat low carb meals when we can, and it can be difficult to find soup recipes that are low carb. Luckily, a lot of recipes can be easily adapted. My mom is an all star cook when it comes to low carb dishes. She recently made a big pot of delicious Cabbage Soup with Ground Beef, and brought a bunch of it over to my house to share with me. I know what you may be thinking... cabbage soup? Doesn't sound appetizing. Let me tell you- this soup is so delicious and packed with flavor. It's not a ton of cabbage, and there are lots of other yummy ingredients to balance it out.

Cabbage Soup with Ground Beef

1 pound ground beef

1 clove garlic, minced

2 1/2 ounces onion, chopped, 1 small

28 ounce can diced tomatoes

1 pound cabbage, chopped, 1/2 medium

3 stalks celery, coarsely chopped *optional

2 cups chicken or beef broth

1 teaspoon beef bouillon granules

1 teaspoon salt, or to taste

1/2 teaspoon pepper, or to taste

2 teaspoons granular Splenda or equivalent liquid Splenda

*Optional- 1 Cup cooked orzo, rice or quinoa

*Optional- Sprinkle Parmesan cheese on top

To make the soup...

In a large soup pot, brown the ground beef, garlic and onion; drain. Add the remaining ingredients and bring to a boil. Simmer, uncovered, until the vegetables are tender, about 30 minutes. Adjust the seasonings to taste.

Makes 6 servings

*Can be frozen and eaten at a later date.

So, my mom used orzo in this recipe. When I make it next, I plan on using quinoa or brown rice. I also added a bit of Parmesan cheese to the top, because I think Parmesan cheese makes just about everything taste better. Can't blame this Italian girl for wanting that cheese! I have a freezer safe container of this soup in my freezer, and I plan to eat it for dinner one night next week when I am home working and the hubby takes the kids to his mom's for a few hours. I have heard that this soup tastes even better as leftovers, or after frozen, because the ingredients have even longer to meld together.

This recipe is perfect to make for a family gathering, to take to a family or friend who might be experiencing a difficult time, to make for a new set of parents, etc. I can't thank my mom enough for introducing me to this delicious soup! Why not make a pot and enjoy it while the weather is still cool? Don't forget- you can freeze the leftovers and enjoy them another time!

Hope you'll give this recipe a try!