V8 Soup from Tomato Juice

Don't throw out that tomato juice! Use the juice from your strained tomatoes to make a delicious, healthy, vegetable-based V8-inspired tomato drink.

From the big batch of salsa I made last week, I had this byproduct: tomato juice. Never one to waste, we peeped around the Internet for about 2 minutes and mashed a couple recipes together to fit our needs.

Add your homemade V8 to a cold beer on a hot summer day, or just eat it like tomato soup with grilled cheese in the winter.

Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 45 minutes
Makes about 4 quarts

• About 3.5 quarts tomato liquid, strained of skins & seeds
• 5 small-medium beets, peeled & chunked
• 4 large carrots, chunked
• 1/8-1/4 red onion, diced
• 1 cup kale (fresh or frozen)
• 2 cloves garlic, crushed
• 2 TB honey
• 1 TB chipotle EVOO
• dash lemon juice*
• dash cinnamon*
• dash soy sauce/liquid aminos*
• 2 tsp salt
• 2 cucumbers, chunked
• 1/4 cup fresh basil
• 1/4 cup fresh parsley
• 1/2 cup arugula

Combine everything except the last 4 ingredients. Simmer uncovered for 35-45 minutes or until carrot & beet chunks are fork-tender.

Add remaining ingredients. Blend using immersion blender.

*These ingredients I used in lieu of Worcestershire sauce one recipe called for. The cinnamon can be pretty overpowering, so measure out 1/8 tsp first and go up from there.

NOTE: If the acidic tang leaves a bittery-hot aftertaste, add 1/2 to 1 tsp baking soda. The chemical reaction will burn off some of the acid from the tomato juice, leaving the flavor but none of the harshness.

We drank some, froze some for later and to the rest I added some chicken broth, a can of venison, a can of black beans and a can of corn to create a Frankenstein-ed up chili that was awesome with sour cream, cheese & cilantro.

Blogging this mainly to save my recipe for later. But I hope someone else can enjoy it too!