You know that feeling when you just know? Sure you do! After a first and maybe a second cup of strong caffeine, you get the hankering for...something... veggie... something... savory... something fresh ...Minestrone!
A quick look over the recipe... Perfect! I have most of the necessary ingredients for a plant-based recipe. Let's do this!
My quest since December 1, 2012, has been to reduce my intake of animal protein as we pursue a healthy lifestyle of fitness and nutrition. We've tested many recipes. While this choice has taken our family on a culinary journey, we find most recipes are keepers, but some have been, well, a couple of wrong turns. But, not this fresh stop in Rome!
I adapted a recipe from the now famous documentary-turned-cookbook, Forks Over Knives, from what was already on-hand, not unlike countless Romans from centuries past. So, while the weather is chilly, open your fridge and let your inner-Italiano make a grand presentation with the "Big Soup" (the rough translation of minestrone).
Minestrone (min-eh-strOH-neh)
1 large Onion, peeled and chopped
2 large Carrots (or about 12 Baby Carrots), sliced like nickels
2 Celery Stalks, washed and chopped with leaves
4-5 Cloves Garlic, peeled and minced
8 cups (or 64-ish ozs) Vegetable Stock
2 tablespoons Nutritional Yeast (optional, but I've recently been cooking with it!)
2 cans (15.5 ozs) Diced Tomatoes
1 tablespoon Greek Spices (Oops. No Oregano. But my #FoodiePenPals box had a tin of Greek Spices!)
2-3 medium New Potatoes (red skin), scrubbed and diced
4-5 handfuls Chopped Kale (little to no ribs - I buy a big bag to last a week)
1-2 cups of Multigrain Pasta
1 can (15.5 oz) Cannellini Beans, drained and rinsed
S&P (salt and pepper - to taste) and Red Pepper Flakes
A quick look over the recipe... Perfect! I have most of the necessary ingredients for a plant-based recipe. Let's do this!
My quest since December 1, 2012, has been to reduce my intake of animal protein as we pursue a healthy lifestyle of fitness and nutrition. We've tested many recipes. While this choice has taken our family on a culinary journey, we find most recipes are keepers, but some have been, well, a couple of wrong turns. But, not this fresh stop in Rome!
I adapted a recipe from the now famous documentary-turned-cookbook, Forks Over Knives, from what was already on-hand, not unlike countless Romans from centuries past. So, while the weather is chilly, open your fridge and let your inner-Italiano make a grand presentation with the "Big Soup" (the rough translation of minestrone).
Minestrone (min-eh-strOH-neh)
1 large Onion, peeled and chopped
2 large Carrots (or about 12 Baby Carrots), sliced like nickels
2 Celery Stalks, washed and chopped with leaves
4-5 Cloves Garlic, peeled and minced
8 cups (or 64-ish ozs) Vegetable Stock
2 tablespoons Nutritional Yeast (optional, but I've recently been cooking with it!)
2 cans (15.5 ozs) Diced Tomatoes
1 tablespoon Greek Spices (Oops. No Oregano. But my #FoodiePenPals box had a tin of Greek Spices!)
2-3 medium New Potatoes (red skin), scrubbed and diced
4-5 handfuls Chopped Kale (little to no ribs - I buy a big bag to last a week)
1-2 cups of Multigrain Pasta
1 can (15.5 oz) Cannellini Beans, drained and rinsed
S&P (salt and pepper - to taste) and Red Pepper Flakes
- Saute the onion, carrots and celery with 1 tablespoon of Olive Oil or Coconut Oil or try a Water Saute (without any oil) in a large pot over medium heat for 10 minutes.
- Stir in garlic - don't let it burn.
- Add vegetable stock, nutritional yeast, tomatoes, spices, potatoes, kale, pasta and beans.
- Simmer for 30-45 minutes.
I'm headed out of town, but this big pot of "Big Soup" will be a big hug for my family until I return! Hope there's some left.
I just made this tonight for dinner and LOVED it!! My husband said it was the best soup I've made yet :) thanks for sharing!
ReplyDeleteYou're welcome! I'm glad you sparkled in his eyes...by way of his tummy! HA!
Deletereally good soup!thanks for the recipe!!
ReplyDeleteYou're welcome! I can't really take the credit when it was one of the first Forks Over Knives recipes I tackled. But, I do agree it was good!
DeleteI liked this recipe so much that I thought I should share it with my readers! This one will stay in our rotation for sure!
Deletehttp://www.adventuresinmindfulcooking.com/minestrone-soup/
Looking forward to visiting your site!
DeleteDelicious! I added zucchini and included a bay leaf
ReplyDeletePERFECT! I'll do that, next time! Tonite is LOTSA VEGETABLE CHOWDER! It smells so good cooking!
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ReplyDeleteOh, this is good! I used 4 tbsp of nutritional yeast, navy beans, power greens from costco and cayenne instead of red pepper flakes. Other than that, I followed the recipe to a t. My husband and I loved it.
ReplyDeleteAngela! Ooohhh! You played with your food! HOORAY! I'm gonna add the Nooch, next time, I make this recipe!
ReplyDeleteThis soup looks delicious... Thank you for sharing!!!
ReplyDeleteThis may sound like a dumb question, but do I add the pasta uncooked?
ReplyDeleteKRISTINA --Not dumb, at all! You add the UNCOOKED pasta at the time you add the vegetable stock, nutritional yeast, tomatoes, spices, potatoes, kale and beans and, then, simmer for 30-45 mins. Or, you could prepare the pasta ahead and add at time of serving! Totally your preference!
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