Vegi Soup - old fashioned

That's true. I read "Vegie Soup" as being full of hearty vegie-ness(is that a word! lol).
Vegetarian soup is a whole other thing.
And equally delicious!

Yeah there is a difference between vege soup and 'vege soup'. like when I make it for my gluten free peeps. I have to reasure them it's gluten free - I haven't put any barley etc, or kings mix in.MIne is made with either lamb or chicken bones. but if I was making for a vegetarian I'd change it.
One or the other makes a lovely soup, you've just got to know who you are cooking it for.
Just chuck lots of vege's in and mash it. add a bit more water if needed (or chicken stock), salt and pepper - don't forget the finely chopped silverbeet!

I slice 1 or 2 leeks, slice celery including leaves, grate root veg i.e. carrot, kumera, swede, parsnip, pumpkin etc, 2t vegemite, s&p, onion powder (originally used 2 pkts onion soup but think it has msg so dont use it any more)Cook 1-1/2 hrs.Leave overnight if poss.Is a bit lighter than many other veg soups which I prefer.

I just don't like the saltiness you get when you add a bacon hock or similar and wouldn't even know where to buy a shin bone - I'm perfectly happy with my "hit and miss" fridge clean out vegetable soup.It still has plenty of "body" but it comes from the choice of vegetables or the pulses I add.

Ultra cheap-
Ask local deli for champagne ham hock (our countdown sells them around $2.20ea) boil on slow all afternoon in large pot of water. Allow to cool in fridge overnight.
Remove all the fat that has clotted on top, and pick off all the bits of ham from the bone (if you do this before it has finished boiling you get virtually no fat, as the fat is all free to raise to the top, but you do get a few singed fingers!)
Return to the boil with some barley, split peas, and dried red lentils.
Boil 2 hrs then add finely chopped pumpkin, carrot, potatoe, leek, onion, cabbage, whatever's in the fridge. I like to make sure there is lots of either pumpkin or swede as this sweetens the soup a bit, and a can of chickpeas. Could add pasta if you wanted, just gives it extra body.
Easy- cheap- and the kids love it! We do it once a week through winter to boost the vege intake, and because it makes a huge pot- i freeze some in containers because the kids like it for a hot lunch on cold days.

Ooops!Add herbs etc with the hock to boil! Makes a really rich stock!