I think you're supposed to get the salt from the onion mix in the soup and the fats from when you have skim milk and the potato. Try the instant kind of brown rice like uncle bens'. It's easy to make and you can also put dried herbs on it. Try onion powder or garlic powder and some cracked black pepper while cooking.

I was thinking the exact same thing!  Like a gumbo!  Also thinking about adding cut up steak to the soup on steak day and making stew.