Broccoli Rice Soup

This is a recipe I got years ago from a Cooking Light magazine.  The original recipe called for chicken broth, so it was super easy to make it vegan by changing the chicken broth to veggie broth.  I also added the monosodium glutimate to add back some of the umami flavor of the broth.

1 cup chopped onion
5 cups veggie broth
1 can diced tomatoes
4 cups fresh broccoli flowerets
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon pepper
1 teaspoon monosodium glutimate (optional)
dash of red pepper (more if you like it spicier)
1/2 cup instant brown rice (or if you have left over brown rice, you can use that)*

Coat a large pan with cooking spray.  Add the onion and saute until slightly soft.  Add the rest of the ingredients except rice.  Bring to a boil, and then turn down the heat to simmer for 15 minutes.  Add the rice and simmer another 15 minutes or until broccoli and rice are tender.  Serve with your favorite whole grain bread.

*If you are using regular white rice or converted rice, add it in at the beginning with the other ingredients and cook for the full 1/2 hour.  If you are using uncooked brown rice, add it in at the beginning, but don't add the broccoli yet.  Cook it for 1/2 hour, add the broccoli, and then cook it all for another 1/2 hour.)