meatball soup

Usually, when I think meatball soup, I think of Italian Wedding soup. I really don't like Italian Wedding soup, but my three children LOOOVE it. I can't stand the smell of it. It actually triggers a gag reflex. Not good.
This Friday, I invited a friend over and said I'd make lunch. Soup is fast and easy. I went to grab my go-to bag of frozen broccoli and cauliflower and well, there wasn't quite enough. So...

1 c froz broccoli/cauliflower
3 c froz mixed vegetables(peas, carrots, corn, lima beans and green beans)(the inexpensive ones)
2 onions chopped
2 c sodium reduced chicken broth

2 c leftover burrito stuffing
1 c salsa
1 1/2 c frozen mini meatballs

I brought the first 4 ingredients to a boil, simmered for I think about 8 minutes. Then, I used my friend the immersion blender to buzz through the soup. I pulsed the soup instead of fully blending it, as I wanted to see pieces of the vegetables I was eating. Also for the eye appeal-green veggies plus orange veggies blended make brown soup. Brown soup is not very appetizing(unless it is a french onion soup mmmmm).

I added the next three ingredients and heated thoroughly. The burrito mixture of beans meat and spices added some thickening to the soup, the salsa added a bit of spice and colour and the meatballs a bit more spice and eye interest.

We eat with our eyes, and this was interesting to look at. The different reds of tomato and kidney beans, carrot orange, the different greens in the peas, salsa peppers and green beans and the shape of the meatballs meant each mouthful was beautiful.

An awesome soup for warming up.