Vegetable soup with Red Cabbage

This is an original recipe, born from an amazing CSA haul from Solace Farm in beautiful Sebring, FL -- thanks, Nate and Missy!  It made a beautiful broth, and doesn't taste cabbagey.  I added some things I happened to have in the fridge, listed as options below.  Makes about 3 quarts of soup, freezes well. #vegan

1 tablespoon olive oil
1 onion, chopped
5 garlic cloves, chopped
3 ribs of celery
1 large carrot
1 red bell pepper
1 tsp smoked paprika
1 tsp oregano
1 tsp thyme
1 tsp salt
1 tsp ground pepper
2 cups of green beans, cut in thirds
3-4 medium-sized tomatoes -- Roma or really anything you have, chopped
1 quart of chicken or vegetable stock, or water
1/2 small head of red cabbage, chopped
lemon juice to taste (or you could use red wine vinegar)  -- I used about 1 tsp lemon juice
extra seasonings to taste

Options:
1 tsp pesto
1/2 of a jalapeno pepper, seeded and chopped fine
1/2 lb of italian sausage
2 cups of cooked chickpeas
Parmesan rind


In a large stock pot over medium heat, saute the onion and garlic in the olive oil until they begin to get soft. (If you're adding sausage, you can push the onions off to one side at this point and brown the sausage)  Add the diced carrot, celery, red pepper and spices and saute until they begin to soften.  Add the beans and tomatoes and the stock.  You might want to add a little water to get it up closer to the top of your vegetables -- I added another cup or so.  While you're waiting for it to simmer, chop up the cabbage and then add it.  If you're adding any starches such as chickpeas, or a Parmesan rind, you can throw them in now too.  Simmer the soup until the vegetables are soft but not mushy, maybe 20 minutes.  At this point you can stir in the lemon juice and the  pesto if you are adding it, and adjust the other seasonings -- add a little and taste it until it's the way you like it -- the lemon juice in particular really punches up the flavor.  This was even better the next day.