Minestrone Soup

This recipe is adapted from Rachael Ray's Mighty Minestrone Soup. I found the recipe over two years ago, and it is still in my regular cycle of meals. It's especially filling and warm on an autumn or winter day. It's also kid-friendly because it has beans, noodles, carrots, and celery that can be picked out if needed.


2 Tbs. coconut/grapeseed oil
1 onion, diced
4 cloves garlic, minced
2 carrots, chopped (I use more)
4 stalks celery, chopped (I use more)
1 fresh bay leaf
1 bunch kale, de-veined and leaves coarsely chopped
Real Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
1 15 oz. can cannellini beans, drained or 1.5 cups soaked, cooked beans
1 15 oz. can garbanzo beans, drained or 1.5 cups soaked, cooked beans
3 tsp. rosemary
3 tsp. thyme
1 15 oz. can diced tomatoes or 2 cups fresh tomatoes, diced
1 to 1.5 quarts vegetable stock (I use Pacific Natural Foods brand)
.5 to 1 qt. water
1/2 pound whole grain pasta, any variety (I use brown rice pasta b/c it's gluten-free, and I use less because I like more veggies than pasta)

Heat oil in a medium-sized soup pot over medium-high heat. Add the onion, garlic, carrots, celery, and bay leaf, and cook until the vegetables have softened. Add a pinch of Real Salt and pepper.

Throw the beans, garbanzo beans, herbs, tomatoes, stock, and water into the pot and bring to a bubble. Add the kale and cook until wilted. Then add the pasta and boil the soup until the pasta is tender. Make sure you add pasta right before it will be served - otherwise it will get sticky and mushy. Also, remember not to eat the bay leaf!

Serve with a whole-grain garlic toast or other side.