Is it just me or is anyone else suffering from S.A.D? And by SAD I mean Seasonal Affective Disorder. The winter seems to linger longer than it should. In other words we all need some good ol’ SUNSHINE! Well, I may not be able to bring you sunshine; I can make you feel all warm and cozy with my Easy Peasy Veggie Minestrone Soup. There are many versions of this soup originating from Italy. I like to load mine up with tons of vegetables, rice and beans for protein. Anytime I feel cold or worn down, I fill up on this medicine and it is the ray of light I need!
Ingredients
- 1 medium onion
- 2 celery stalks chopped
- 3 medium carrots chopped
- 2 cloves garlic
- 12 cups Veggie Stock
- 2 medium potatoes chopped
- 1 can of pinto beans (or cannellini beans) drained
- 4 small tomatoes chopped
- 1 ½ tbsp. tomato paste
- 2 bay leaves
- ½ small cabbage shredded
- 2 medium zucchini chopped
- ½ cup Arborio rice
- 2 tsp of freshly ground black pepper
- 1 tsp of salt
Directions
- Heat oil in a large pot and cook onions and garlic until they soften.
- Add veggie stock, carrots, celery, beans, tomatoes, tomato paste, potatoes , bay leaves and bring to a boil.
- Reduce heat, add in salt and pepper, simmer and keep covered for 20 minutes.
- Add Zucchini, cabbage, rice and simmer uncovered for about 15-18 minutes or until rice is cooked through. Remove bay leaves. Serve into bowls and enjoy!
