Day 6 Recipe

Easy Minestrone Soup

Ingredients

• 1 medium onion (or leek)

• 2 medium carrots

• 1 celery rib

• 5 garlic cloves

• 1 small zucchini squash (or 1 to 2 cups of other chopped vegetables)

• ¼ cup olive oil

• 2 tablespoons tomato paste

• 1 quart vegetable broth

• 28-ounce can diced fire roasted tomatoes

• 1 cup water

• 1 bay leaf

• 1 15-ounce can cannellini beans

• ½ teaspoon each dried oregano and thyme

• 1 ¼ teaspoon kosher salt, divided

• ¾ cup pasta shells or spirals (gluten-free or legume pasta if necessary or skip)

• 3 cups baby kale (or spinach or other chopped greens)

• Fresh ground black pepper

• Fresh parsley, for garnish

• Optional topping: Parmesan cheese, basil pesto or vegan pesto

INSTRUCTIONS

• Prep the vegetables: Peel and small dice the onion and carrots. Small dice the celery. Mince the garlic. Small dice the zucchini.

• In a large pot or Dutch oven, heat the olive oil over medium high heat. Add the onion, carrots, celery and tomato paste, and cook for 5 to 6 minutes until the onions are just translucent. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute.

• Add the vegetable broth, tomatoes and juices, water, zucchini, bay leaf, white beans, oregano, thyme, and 1 teaspoon kosher salt. Bring it to a simmer, then cook 10 minutes on medium low.

• Add the pasta and cook until pasta is just al dente, about 8 to 10 minutes. Turn off the heat and stir in the baby greens for a few seconds until wilted. (If you’re using tougher greens like mature kale, chop them and add them in the last 5 minutes of the cook time.)

• Remove the bay leaf. Add the remaining ¼ teaspoon kosher salt. Taste and add fresh ground black pepper and more kosher salt to taste. Garnish with chopped parsley (or optionally add Parmesan cheese shavings or basil pesto or vegan pesto).