Spicy Tomato Rice Soup

Ingredients:

1/3 c. uncooked rice
2/3 c. water
1/4 c. diced celery
1/4 c. shredded carrots
3 tbsp. minced onions
1 tbsp. fresh, chopped parsley
2 bay leaves
3 whole cloves
1/4 tsp. white pepper
1/8 tsp. thyme
2 1/2 c. low sodium tomato juice
2 c. chicken or turkey stock

Directions:

For about 1 hour, simmer celery, carrots, onions, parsley, tomato juice, pepper, cloves, thyme and bay leaves. In the meantime, cook rice until tender (8-10 minutes). Leave rice covered and let stand another 10 minutes.
Remove bay leaves and cloves from tomato mixture. Add stock into rice. Add rice mixture to tomato mixture. Heat to serving temperature. Makes about 1 quart soup.