Minestrone Soup

It's winter, Christmas is over, and the best thing to do is just eat until spring.  Not really, but it is kind of tempting when every day seems grayer than the next.  I think soup is the best option.  It's relatively healthy, but also hearty enough to satisfy the need for something substantial.

I planned out my meals for this week, hoping to just go to the grocery store once.  As I looked through my pantry, I tried to find stragglers I could incorporate into a meal.  I found a can of butter beans.

I also found this weird "pepe" pasta that I wanted to use.  I thought about some sort of baked pasta dish, but it seemed bizarre, for some reason.  Then I remembered that my mom always puts some sort of grain into minestrone when she makes it.  Perfect!

I made my list to include everything I needed to make minestrone soup and then decided to pair it with quiche.  I remembered that I still had a can of crabmeat lurking in my pantry - crab quiche, done! 

I was able to utilize the remnants of pantry leftovers and only needed to purchase a few things to make a full meal for five.  I had the whole meal put together in less than 30 minutes.  The best part is, Kate said, "this soup is amazing".  I totally prepared myself for the kids to revolt with all of the vegetables and beans.  They all loved it and finished their portion!

Minestrone Soup
1/2 onion, chopped
2 tsp olive oil
1 zucchini, chopped
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 medium carrots, peeled and chopped finely
1 cup spinach, chopped
1/2 cup tomato paste
4 cups chicken broth
2 cans of beans (I used pink beans and large butter beans)
1/2 cup of cooked small pasta
parmesan cheese for garnish

1.  Saute onion, carrot, zucchini, and garlic in olive oil over low heat for five to seven minutes or until vegetables are softened.
2.  Add spinach and stir until wilted.
3.  Add tomato paste and remaining ingredients (except for parmesan) and simmer for 20-25 minutes.
4.  Serve with parmesan cheese.