Minestrone Soup

 

Hey there Bloggies, sorry my sporadic blogging of late, with just 8 weeks until the wedding its just manic around here, there’s just so much to do, so many things to buy and to source and find etc.  I just recruited another bridesmaid! like all sane brides to at the last minute! but honestly she’s a godsend, its so great to have someone around with brand new enthusiasm!

Remember my friend Catherine, we’ve been best friends on and off since we were 5 years old, when we find ourselves living in the same area we’re inseparable, and then we end up living in different areas and we let it slip, but then we end up in the same place again and its all like we were never apart! now her and her boyfriend live right over the road from me and Buddy, the boys get on great too which is a huge bonus! I’m so excited to have her as last minute Bridesmaid and she’s over the moon! what fun!

So anyway, between being knee deep in wedding planning, i’ve got exams coming out my ears and work is really busy! these are my terrible reasons for abandoning you so much lately! i’ll be back full time soon enough i promise!

Because of being so busy i haven’t taken pictures of anything i’ve been eating, its been mostly good, maybe a little too much at times, but too much of good stuff i promise! working out is still on hold because my torn tendons in my toe, i’m hoping to hit the streets for a gentle run this wknd though, I’ll keep you posted.

I did want to share with you my Minestrone soup recipe, its pretty basic, alot of optionals, but I love it, its easy, its filling, tasty and good for you too! I’m not a huge fan of soup, thats probably because I’m not very good at making soup, it always seems to be too thick, too thin, too strong, tasteless etc etc, but minestrone i get it right every time!

Neens Minestrone Soup

All of the measurements are guessed, it doesn’t really matter how much of what you put it, just what you have or what feels right, you cant really go wrong, i chop and change it up every time, i’ll walk you through what was in my latest batch.

1 onion - essential

2 cloves garlic - essential

5 runner beans – optional – could use french beans or peas or broad beans or cabbage etc, but i like to keep it green, a little of each is nice

1 stick celery - optional

1 tin kidney beans – essential but you could add more beans in too, haricot etc

2 t vegetable bullion - (to taste really)

1 carrot - optional

lots of tomatoes (the more the better, but a tin will do)

2 T tomato puree essential

1 potato – essential

1 cup pasta – essential, i like small pasta shapes, orzo would do, or broken up spaghetti

1 small tin of corn – optional – i didnt use this time but i did last time

herbs

seasoning

chilli flakes

Fry the onion and the garlic in a little oil and a little butter (this gives it a richness in flavour that you can afford in the calories in a pot of soup) till soft

 

Add in the small diced potato – let it cook off for around 5 mins

 

add in the tomatoes, carrots, celery etc but not the green just yet

Stir well and cook for about 10 minutes

Top up with boiling water and add the kidney beans and pasta, bring to the boil.  Once its boiling, give it about 5 minutes then add your greens in, you dont want to add them sooner or they will be over cooked, let it simmer for around 10 minutes, whilst simmering, add in salt and pepper and some herbs for seasoning, i like to use, oregano/basil/mixed herbs and plenty of them! also add your stock, bullion or cubes etc, and about 1/4 t chilli flakes, all of these are “to taste”.

When your pasta and veg are cooked, allow to cool and refrigerate, this will around 5 days, or you can freeze in portions.

Dont worry about it being more like pasta sauce, than soup, i like to make this soup quite strong with seasoning and stock and herbs, chilli, tomato puree etc, then when i’m reheating i add a little water at this stage.

Perfect served with chunky wholemeal bread and a little grated cheese for melting, hmmmm hmmmm!!

I’m off to do some more wedding planning, i’m on the hunt for perfect thank you gifts for the Bridesmaids, Best Man, Mother of the Bride and Mother of the Groom, wish me luck.

If you're married already what did you buy for thank you gifts? if not do you have any suggestions of things you’d like if you were Best Man, Mother of the Bride or Groom or Bridesmaid?? I’d love to hear from you, any input helps!

Much love bloggios! <3 <3 <3 xoxo