Vegetable Soup

Ingredients:

- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 onion, chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 carrots, peeled and diced
- 2 celery stalks, diced
- 1 bell pepper, diced
- 1 zucchini, diced
- 1 cup green beans, cut into bite-sized pieces
- 1 can diced tomatoes
- 4 cups vegetable broth
- 2 teaspoons dried basil
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1 bay leaf
- Salt and black pepper to taste
- Fresh parsley, chopped (for garnish)

Instructions:

1. Heat the olive oil in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium heat.
2. Add the chopped onion and minced garlic, sauté until onions are translucent.
3. Add the diced carrots, celery, bell pepper, zucchini, and green beans to the pot. Cook for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
4. Pour in the diced tomatoes with their juice and the vegetable broth. Stir in the dried basil, dried thyme, bay leaf, salt, and black pepper. Bring the soup to a boil.
5. Reduce the heat to low and let the soup simmer for about 20 minutes until the vegetables are tender.
6. Remove the bay leaf from the soup and taste for seasoning, adjusting as needed.
7. Serve the vegetable soup hot, garnished with fresh parsley on top.

Note: Feel free to customize the recipe by adding or substituting other vegetables according to your preference.