Afraid that my healthy (no meat, low fat, low salt) Italian vegetable soup was not going to be tasty, I prepared a chicken soup to add before serving, but it turned out so sweet and delicious I stored away the chicken soup for another night! ...... The optional vegetables can also be cauliflower, mushrooms, burdock root, bell peppers, potatoes, etc. Try the vegetable that is said to be healthy but you don't usually eat! The green stars in the photo are slices of poached okra added before serving. They are nutritious and adds thickness to any soup you make.