Minestrone Soup

This soup was AMAZING!  My family loved it and it was perfect for a cold winter's day.  It is packed with healthy veggies, too.  This is a must try!

Ingredients:

3 Tbsp olive oil

1 large red onion, chopped

2 large stalks of celery, chopped

4 cloves garlic, minced

2 large carrots, sliced

1/2 head Savoy cabbage, finely sliced (I used Green cabbage instead)

1/2 bunch swiss chard, finely sliced (I used kale instead)

1 large waxy potatoe, peeled and cut into bite-size cubes

4 cups vegetable broth, low sodium

3 medium tomatoes, diced

1 boquet garni (1 sprig rosemary, 4 sprigs thyme, 1 bay leaf, and 1 bunch parsley, tied together with kitchen twine)

2 cans (3 cups) cannellini beans, drained and rinsed

1 cup spinach, coarsely chopped

I also used the following to add additional flavor: salt, pepper, 1/2 packet of Italian dressing mix, ~1-2 tsp McKay's Chicken Seasoning, but you can just add whatever appeals to your taste.

Directions:

• Heat olive oil in a large stockpot over medium-high heat.  Add onion, celery, garlic, carrots and cook  until soft, about 5 min
• Add 4 cups water, cabbage, chard, potato, vegetable stock, tomatoes, and bouquet garni.  Bring soup to a gentle simmer and cook 25-30 min.
• Place half of the beans (1.5 cups) in a blender/food processor and process until smooth.  Add the bean puree and the whole beans to the soup and simmer 10 min.  Add the spinach and cook 2 more min.  Season how you like.  Ladle soup into bowls and garnish with vegan Parmesan cheese on top.

Recipe adapted from: http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/bobby-flay/minestrone-with-parmigiano-reggiano-recipe/index.html