Minestrone

We all love Minestrone soup, so when I cook it I make enough for seconds and leftovers! It's perfect topped with vegan parmesan (you can find my very simple recipe here) and black pepper, and we wolf it down with big chunks of garlic bread!

First, use a big pan and lightly fry the following ingredients until the onions look 'glassy':

1 brown onion, diced

1 bulb garlic, minced

Then add:

4 carrots, diced

3 celery sticks, diced

1 large courgette, diced

Continue to fry for 5 minutes more, then add:

2 litres of your favourite stock (I use Edward and Sons Not Beef stock)

2 tins of cannellini beans (I use Biona organic)

4 tins of chopped tomatoes

Stir, bring to the boil and allow to simmer for 10 minutes.

Next, add:

400g small pasta pieces (I use gluten free pasta so I don't have to make a separate soup for myself)

Continue to boil for 15 minutes more, until the pasta is cooked but still firm.

It's then ready to be served!

I make the garlic bread while the pasta is cooking. I peel a whole bulb of garlic and blend it in the vitamix with ¼ cup of extra virgin olive oil and half a stock cube (I use Edward and Sons Not Chick'n cubes). I then cut 4 half size baguettes into diagonal chunks, without allowing the knife to go through to the bottom, and spread the mixture into each split. I wrap the baguettes in foil and cook in the oven, at 180 degrees, for 10 minutes.

Enjoy!