Vegetable Minestrone Soup

Vegetable Minestrone Soup - An antioxidant powerhouse of a soup
Seriously Soupy

Soups are sometimes made for unexpected reasons. This simple minestrone not only helped me through a cold, but was also made in honor of the 2010 Making Strides Against Breast Cancer that pledges to raise awareness to "make strides toward a world of more birthdays." Since I am participating in this annual walk in Central Park this Sunday, I wanted to make a soup to honor this amazing cause as well as a recipe that reflected eating healthy. I assessed the situation in my cupboard - and realized I had almost everything for a healthy and filling minestrone soup! I started by soaking red beans for a few hours, followed by cutting up some onions, garlic and adding in some cauliflower, broccoli, zucchini, carrots and tomato sauce that made for the perfect spur of the healthy and hearty soup. What is great about this recipe is that it can be modified to use your favorite veggies or can be made even easier by using canned beans. Whatever you decide to make it, one thing is for certain: this one was delicious!Not only is it filing, minestrone soup is packed with essential nutrients and vitamins like folate, protein, and fiber from the red beans and a hearty does of vitamins A, C, and E (among others) from the green beans, broccoli, cauliflower, zucchini and carrots. This simple recipe is also economical and lasted for over a week - freeze this soup to have multiple meals later in the winter. This soups to your health!

Vegetable Minestrone Soup

Vegetable Minestrone Soup - Seriously Soupy

A traditional Italian soup in addition to being a popular winter soup, vegetable minestrone is packed with rich and earthy flavors that makes it a delicious and filing meal. The variety of the various beans and different vegetables infused really well together, so I opted to use no broth and bouillon and less herbs and spices for this hearty soupy. There are also numerous variations of this soup that include beef stock, bacon, or a wine base. Here is my version of one my favorite's soupys. Enjoy!

Vegetable Minestrone Soup
Ingredients:

• 6 cups of water
• 1 cup of dry yellow peas
• 1 cup of dry kidney beans
• 1 cup of dry lima beans
  
• 1 cup of dry French lentils
• 1 medium-sized zucchini, chopped up
• 1 medium-sized yellow squash, chopped up
• ½  bag of baby carrots
  
• 1 celery stalk, cut up
• ½ cup – 1 cup of tomato sauce or 3 fresh tomatoes (I used a can of organic Italian-style diced tomatoes with basil and garlic)
  
• 1 teaspoon of rosemary
• 1 teaspoon of basil
• ½ of a red onion, chopped up
• ½ clove of garlic, finely chopped up
• ½ bag of whole wheat macaroni pasta
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 teaspoon of parmasean cheese for topping
  
• salt and pepper

Serves: 6-8

Directions:
If you are using dry beans, about 4 hours before the preparation of the soup place them together in a bowl with water to loosen the beans. When ready to begin cooking pour the water into a large pot and let it boil. When it comes to a steady boil add the beans to the pot slowly (I scooped the beans in white a large laddle), mix the beans around, cover and let cook for 30 minutes. Check on the beans and stir periodically as it cooks. After 30 minutes add the garlic, onions, tomatoes, rosemary, basil, and bay leaves and let this new mixture cook together for another 30-45 minutes, again checking up on the mixture and adding additional water, if necessary. After an hour or so add the carrots, zucchini, squash, celery and let cook for 10 minutes. Add the pasta and give the soup a taste. I noticed that I needed additional water, so that may be the case. I also added more salt and pepper to the soup. After 15-20 minutes the pasta should be done, and volia the soupy is ready. Sprinkle a teaspoon of parmesan cheese on top (or if you are like me that will be a heaping teaspoon) and enjoy!

Approximate cooking time: 2-2½ hours.

Seriously Soupy Serena

P.S. There was no rhyme or reason behind my choice of bean or vegetables. I opted for dry beans since I think that they have a more complex and richer taste than the canned variety, but if I had canned I would have used them. Also, you can use cannellini beans, green peas, or navy beans. Additionally, I put the vegetable selection together because they were items that I thought were in a traditional minestrone soup. Although after looking at other recipes I noticed that cabbage, potatoes, and corn are also popular choices.

How do you make your minestrone soupy?