My Power Minestrone

This is a recipe that Leo absolutely loves. I make it in the autumn, just around back-to-school time. It's warm and comforting, but it's also packed full of nutrients and good, healthy stuff! It's also easy to make. You start with a broth - you can make your own or you can use store-bought. I used to make this with my own broth that I made from scratch, but Leo introduced me to Knorr vegetable bouillon cubes, which I still haven't found in Indianapolis. We've found beef, chicken, and tomato with chicken, but not vegetable, so when we go overseas, we stock up. Last January, my checked bag aroused a little bit of suspicion due to the massive quantity of Knorr vegetable bouillon cubes and paella mix packed inside (at least now I know I can get Knorr from Amazon and avoid the raised eyebrows from airport security).

Ingredients:

3 1/2 c. vegetable broth 

1 29-oz can Italian-style (or fresh) diced tomatoes

10 oz frozen green peas

1 c pasta (macaroni, shells, etc.), uncooked

1 lb fresh spinach leaves, washed and dried

1 19-oz can white beans, rinsed and drained

Parmesan cheese

Combine vegetable broth and tomatoes (with juice) in a large soup pot or Dutch oven; bring to a boil over high heat. Add peas and pasta; reduce heat to medium and cook 7-9 minutes until pasta is tender. Stir in spinach leaves and beans; cook over medium-high heat until spinach leaves wilt and soup is heated through. If soup is too thick, add water or broth and heat through. Serve in individual bowls and sprinkle with Parmesan cheese just before serving. 

Variations: 

• You can substitute half of the tomatoes with 3/4 cup salsa for a little kick.
• Substitute half the spinach with 1/2 lb of kale or rainbow chard.
• Or, do both substitutions!

I've made this many times and it freezes really well, so you can make a giant vat of it, freeze it, and have yummy, healthy soup all winter long.