Friday Recipe: Minestrone Soup

This is a rather free-form recipe. What I mean by this is that you can adapt every part of it to suit your needs -- hate carrots and love zucchini, switch them! don't like noodles, leave them out! want more soup than stew, add more water! For those who want a precise, step-by-step, measure-by-measure recipe to follow, this may not fill your need. However, it might be the perfect recipe through which to become more comfortable in the kitchen. Try it!

hot and steamy!

Minestrone Soup
Makes 1 large pot

*All numbers are approximate; manipulate according to your needs or desires.

olive oil
28 oz. can pureed tomatoes
5-6 c. vegetable broth (or equivalent of water + bouillon)
1-2 onions, chopped
3-4 garlic cloves
3-4 celery stalks, sliced
2-4 carrots, sliced
1-2 zucchini, sliced
2-4 small potatoes (red or white), sliced or diced
1-2 heads of broccoli (you can use the stems; frozen is ok)
1 c. corn (frozen ok)
1 c. peas (frozen ok)
spinach (frozen ok)
1 can kidney beans (cannellini beans and/or chickpeas work too)
1 c. orzo (other noodles ok)
salt
pepper
oregano
rosemary
thyme
cayenne pepper

1. Saute onions and garlic in olive oil.
2. Add celery, carrots, and potatoes. Saute for ~5 minutes.
3. Add tomato puree and broth. Add remaining vegetables/beans.
4. Bring to a boil.
5. Add spices to taste. [I toss them in so apologies for no measurements]
6. Add orzo/pasta.
7. Let simmer for 3-45 minutes or until all vegetables are fully cooked. Taste and adjust spices as necessary.
8. Enjoy!

Notes
*This really is one of the most versatile and malleable recipes out there. Experiment with all sorts of additions and substractions. The more broth you add, the more soupy it gets. The less broth, the more stewy. Add the vegetables you like, withhold those you don't.

*Other veggies to think about: leeks, parsnips, turnips, cauliflower, soybeans...use your imagination, the more colorful the better, anything goes.

*Minestrone freezes well, so make a big pot and freeze some for later.

*This is as vegan, pareve, and lactose-free as they come.

the more colorful the better

add some bread and you've got a meal