Minestrone Soup

Ingredients

 
olive oil (to coat the bottom of pot)
1
onion (chopped)
4
celery stalks (chopped)
2
carrots (chopped)
2 cloves
garlic (minced)
1
butternut squash (peeled, seeded and cut into small cubes)
1 teaspoon
dried basil
1 teaspoon
chili powder
1
bay leaf
2
fresh thyme leaves
6 cups
water or broth
1 can
diced tomates (15 oz can)
1 can
cannellini beans (with the liquor)
1⁄2 pound
green beans (trimmed and cut into 1/2 inch pieces)
1⁄2 bunch
kale (finely shredded )
3 cups
gluten-free pasta (cooked)
 
salt and ground pepper (to taste)
Yields:
servings

Instructions

Heat the olive oil in a soup pot. Add the onion, stir, and in a few minutes add celery, carrots and garlic. Continue cooking for a few minutes, then add the squash, basil, chili powder, bay leaf, thyme, water/broth and tomatoes. Simmer about 20 minutes. 

Add the beans, green beans, kale and heat another 10 minutes or so until vegetables are cooked. 

Prepare the pasta separately. 

To serve, combine the pasta and soup and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper. This goes nicely with a dollop of Garlic Thyme Flavor Balm as garnish.  (Recipe #577)