My minestrone

This is one of my favourite soups, particularly delicious when you use homemade chicken stock, but any veggie stock, cubes or otherwise works well too. Sometimes I make it ot use up the contents of the vegetable drawer before the next market day, but I also sometimes buy vegetables expressly in order to make it - try adding green beans, or peas or broccoli, the possibilities are endless. By the way, please don't miss out the cabbage, it really IS good!

If you eat wheat, a handful of small pasta, like stellini or ditalini, thrown in to cook for the last few minutes of the cooking time is a delicious addition. I have also occasionally added leftover cooked pulses to give it a bit of protein (for example, yesterday I added a leftover 1/2 can of butter beans). It's also perfect for folks on a weight watchers type diet. What more can you ask of a bowl of soup!

1 T olive oil
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 large onion, chopped
2 carrots, chopped
2 sticks celery, chopped
2 T tomato paste
3 cups of chicken or vegetable stock
1 courgette, chopped
1/2 head fennel, chopped
1/4 head cabbage, shredded finely
1/2 t dried oregano
1/2 t dried basil
salt & pepper to taste

Heat the oil in a large pan, then add the onions and garlic and fry gently until softened.
Add the carrot and celery and cook for another 5-10 mins.
Add the tomato paste and cook for another few minutes.
Add the remaining ingredients (and any other vegetables lingering in the fridge that you feel like adding) and cook until all the vegetables are tender, approx 15-20 mins.
Serve hot!
Keeps well in the fridge for 2 days.


breakfast: granola & rice milk (finshed the litre today so on to oat milk tomorrow!)
lunch : brown rice & thai vegetable curry (from yesterday), apple
dinner : griddled steak, green beans & broccoli, banana