Minestrone Soup

Italian Summer Garden in a Pot

Magical Minestrone. Why yes it is. I have turned this table of Farmers Market vegetables into a fabulous pot of Minestrone Soup - with a 90 minute simmer.

The recipe? Dice everything in the photo into pieces of similar size and simmer them for 90 minutes in water to cover and Better Than Bouillion to flavor. Add herbs... just before serving, top with a big spoonful of grated Locatelli cheese. (fancy Italian hard cheese similar to Parmesan)

IF I ate this every day for a month I bet I'd lose 20 pounds. There is nothing in that pot that was responsible for my being 300 pounds. So many of you are afraid of vegetables and we would like to help you to not fear them. Some of you BM just once a week and believe it is normal. PROBLEM: No vegetables.

There are some who think Cottage Cheese is a better choice than a dish of sliced tomatoes or green beans or even a baked sweet potato and that's just not true. While cottage cheese is full of protein and a great choice, its a star on its own, not a side dish for your meat.

In our Support Group on Facebook there is a conspicuous lack of salads or greens or simmered vegetables in many of the Mealtime Photos, which is troubling. Please notice that on the Admin plates, there are always vegetables... follow them! Its time to get over this bariatric vegetable phobia.

I cant wait to eat a bowl from this simmering pot of goodness. If you are asking 'where's the protein'... my Grandma would poach an egg in a pot of soup so it was jammy in the middle so I may do that. Or later on have a shake. Its all good. My Summer Minestrone is an Italian Garden in a pot!

Fresh Vegetables

• Cabbage
• Sweet onion
• Carrots
• Green beans
• Fresh corn

Canned & Pantry Items

• Olive oil
• Crushed Tomatoes - use Fire Roasted if you are buying for this dish
• Red kidney beans, well drained
• Better Than Bouillon - I use chicken and beef together, but just chicken is fine
• Gourmet Garden - Garlic Paste and Italian Herbs
• Sea salt and black pepper
• Freshly grated Parmesan or Locatelli cheese

Let's Cook

• Dice the cabbage, onion, carrots, cut the green beans in 1-inch pieces, and cut the corn from the cob with a knife.
• In a large soup pot, sweat all your lovely vegetables in about a tablespoon of olive oil, just for a few minutes to give them some color and flavor.
• Season with salt and pepper. Add about 1 tablespoon of the garlic paste and 2 teaspoons of the Italian herb paste.
• Add water to just cover your vegetables. Add a tablespoon each of your chicken and beef base. Add the tomatoes.
• Bring to a boil, lower heat to a gentle simmer and cook, stirring occasionally for 60 to 90 minutes, when vegetables are tender and soup smells divine. Ladle into bowls and add a big spoonful of grated Italian cheese.