Yummy Wednesday - Minestrone Soup

Here's another great winter soup - warm, hearty, yummy, and very healthy! Eat it with some warm, soft bread and a dollop of pesto sauce - delish! This one comes from The Low GI Diet Cookbook, by Dr. Jennie Brand-Miller, Kaye Foster-Powell, and Joanna McMillan-Price.Minestrone Soup

You'll need:

1 tbsp olive oil

1 large onion, finely chopped

1 leek, thinly sliced

2 garlic cloves, minced

2 lean bacon slices, chopped (we use 4!)

2 carrots, sliced into 1/4 inch rounds, or finely chopped

2 celery sticks, thinly sliced

1 14oz can Italian peeled tomatoes, chopped

1 bay leaf

6 cups good-quality chicken, beef, or vegetable stock

1/2 cup small pasta or pasta pieces

1 14oz can of cannellini beans, rinsed and drained

1 cup fresh or frozen peas

1 cup finely shredded cabbage

freshly ground black pepper

basil pesto or sun-dried tomato pesto, to serve (optional)

shaved Parmesan cheese, to serve (optional)

Heat the oil in a large heavy-based soup saucepan over medium heat.

Add the onion, leek and garlic and cook for about 5 minutes, or until the onion is golden and soft. Add the bacon and cook for 1-2 minutes, then add the carrots, celery, tomatoes, and bay leaf. Pour in five cups of the stock and bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer, covered, for 30 minutes.

Stir in pasta and continue to simmer for 10-15 minutes, or until the pasta is al dente. Add more stock if the texture is too thick.

Add the beans, peas, and cabbage, season with pepper, then stir to combine and cook for a few minutes to heat the vegetables through.

Serve with a dollop of basil or sun-dried tomato pesto and scatter over the Parmesan cheese, if using. You may like to serve with sourdough bread to mop up the juices.

Enjoy!

Things I am thankful for today:

1. Getting a lot more work done!

2. Making plans with Em!

3. Going home early today.

4. Dinner and a glass of wine with the hubby.

5. Going for a walk with the hubby and the pup. So fun!

6. Finally watching "PS I Love You." Nice to see scenes of Ireland again!

7. Ordering a new book...

8. So many yummy leftovers in the fridge - makes for a great week of taking lunches and dinners to work!

9. The hubby getting a jump start on our taxes (gotta love Turbo Tax)!

10. Marrying my best friend.