Well, it is finally, officially fall! Woo Hoo!!! It had been so unseasonably hot here it seemed like it was never going to happen. I just couldn’t handle any more summer. I was willing fall to come with all that I had. I put up Halloween decorations a little too early. I wore boots out even though it was still in the 70’s at night. And, I am ready to eat some fall food!
In my excitement for all things fall I have decided to have my first ever theme month. And no, it is not a Pumpkin Spice theme (enough already). I am officially declaring October…
Soup Month
I have been waiting for cooler weather. I have been waiting for fall food. And, I just can’t wait to have a big bowl of soup! Like… every single kind of soup.
The first soup of the month is my Vegetable Garden Soup. A really good veggie soup is hard to beat. It is hearty and comforting and I feel like I’m eating super healthy- all good things. The recipe below is a vegetarian/vegan recipe. You can substitute chicken stock if you want. Either way, it will be delicious.
And I will let you in on a little secret: this is a cookbook recipe. I must really like you guys if I’m leaking another recipe early. As it is a cookbook recipe, I don’t have pictures of all the steps, just one of the final product. I hope that will be enough to entice you. I mean, that’s the best part anyway, right!
Vegetable Garden Soup
Serves 8
Ingredients:
2 T Olive Oil
1 small Onion, chopped
2 ribs of Celery, chopped
3 Carrots, chopped
2 cloves of Garlic, minced
1 small or ½ a large Potato, small dice
½ tsp Onion Powder
½ tsp Garlic powder
1 tsp Italian Seasoning
1 Zucchini, large dice
2 T Tomato Paste
4 c Vegetable Stock
2 c water
16 oz can Navy Beans, drained and rinsed
14.5 oz can Diced Tomatoes w/ juice
1 ½ c Orecchiette Pasta, or other small pasta
¾ c fresh or frozen Corn
2½ oz fresh Baby Spinach (½ a package)
½ c chopped Parsley (for garnish)
Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium heat.
Add onions, celery and carrots to the pot; season with salt and pepper
Slowly cook (sweat) onions, celery and carrots, stirring occasionally, until soft; about 15-20 minutes.
Add garlic and stir for another minute
Add potato and season with onion powder, garlic powder, Italian seasoning and a little more salt and pepper; sauté for 3 minutes.
Add zucchini and sauté for an additional 3 minutes
Add tomato paste and brown for a minute or two while stirring
Add stock, water, beans and diced tomatoes; bring to a simmer
Add pasta and let cook in soup (add more water if necessary); about 10 minutes
Add corn and simmer for another 3 minutes.
Just before it’s finished, add fresh baby spinach and stir (it will wilt from the heat of the soup).
Taste and adjust seasonings if necessary.
Serve warm and garnish with fresh parsley.
Happy Fall!
Vegetable Garden Soup
Ingredients
- 2 T Olive Oil
- 1 small Onion chopped
- 2 stalks Celery chopped
- 3 Carrots chopped
- 2 cloves Garlic minced
- 1 small Potato small dice
- ½ tsp Onion Powder
- ½ tsp Garlic powder
- 1 tsp Italian Seasoning
- 1 Zucchini large dice
- 2 T Tomato Paste
- 4 c Vegetable Stock
- 2 c water
- 16 oz can Navy Beans drained and rinsed
- 14.5 oz can Diced Tomatoes w/ juice
- 1 ½ c Orecchiette Pasta or other small pasta
- ¾ c fresh or frozen Corn
- 2½ oz fresh Baby Spinach ½ a package
- ½ c chopped Parsley for garnish
Instructions
- Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add onions, celery and carrots to the pot; season with salt and pepper. Slowly cook (sweat) onions, celery and carrots, stirring occasionally, until soft; about 15-20 minutes. Add garlic and stir for another minute.
- Add potato and season with onion powder, garlic powder, Italian seasoning and a little more salt and pepper; sauté for 3 minutes. Add zucchini and sauté for an additional 3 minutes. Add tomato paste and brown for a minute or two while stirring.
- Add stock, water, beans and diced tomatoes; bring to a simmer.
- Add pasta and let cook in soup (add more water if necessary); about 10 minutes
- Add corn and simmer for another 3 minutes.
- Just before it's finished, add fresh baby spinach and stir (it will wilt from the heat of the soup).
- Taste and adjust seasonings if necessary.
- Serve warm and garnish with fresh parsley.