Italian Soup, Anyone?
by 
“There is nothing like soup. It is by nature eccentric: no two are ever alike, unless of course you get your soup in a can.” Laurie Colwin,
How are you doing with getting more vegetables into your daily diet?
Judah and Israel were many, as the sand which is by the sea in multitude, eating and drinking, and making merry. (I Kings 4:20; KJV)
I realize that we’re coming to the end of the cold weather soup season, at least here in lovely Virginia Beach. However, minestrone soup is one of those favorites that really can be served in any season. It’s easy to make and also quite economical.
Minestrone is one of the cornerstones of Italian cuisine, and is just about as common as pasta on Italian tables. In Italian, minestrone means, “the big soup”, the one with many ingredients. Minestrone is a variety of thick Italian soups made with vegetables, often with the addition of pasta or rice. Common ingredients include beans, onions, celery, carrots, stock, and tomatoes.
There is no set recipe for minestrone, since it is usually made out of whatever vegetables are in season. It can be vegetarian, contain meat, or contain a meat-based broth. The word “minestrone” has become a synonym for “hodgepodge. Homemade chicken or beef stock can be used. However, organic chicken and beef stocks are available in cartons, making the soup-making process one of ease and convenience.
I’ve been making minestrone soup for years…and never really make it the same way each time nor do I really measure the ingredients. So, after reading many recipes and attempting to remember what I usually do, I’ve created one for this week’s post. The amounts don’t have to be exact and other vegetables can be added. Dark greens such as spinach or kale can be added toward the end of the cooking time adding more color to the soup.
Various types of beans can be used. Many recipes call for kidney beans. I like white kidney beans or even great northern beans. Again, dried beans can be soaked and cooked instead of using canned beans. Canned, organic beans are one of those conveniences that I take advantage of on busy days. Garbanzo beans tend to go with Italian cuisine so I enjoy some of those in the soup as well. And even though most minestrone soup recipes call for pasta, the soup is still great without it. I used a small amount in this recipe. Spelt or whole wheat elbow macaroni or rotini work great. So, look in your refrigerator and in your vegetable bin and round up some soup. Your family will thank you!
Prayer Power
Father, may we be ever grateful to You for this glorious day that You have made, and may we seek You for all that we are to do on this day.
Link of the Day
Minestrone Soup
Blessings on you as you enjoy some homemade soup.
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Jerry Graham, aka "DocJerry," is a professional lifestyle and leadership coach and a social marketing authority who coaches ministry leaders, small business owners, and network marketers, on how to properly capitalize on the current Internet trends. He is also a blogger, a charter member and guide at Renegade University, and one of the Super Guides at Marketing Merge. 
Sharon Graham, R.N., is a professional lifestyle coach and a wellness authority who coaches a broad range of clients from corporate executives, small-business owners, and other professionals, to stay-at-home moms and dads in how to achieve and maintain wellness. Sharon is also a blogger, a sought-after public speaker, and a great cook who is currently compiling a cookbook. 
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Comments on Italian Soup, Anyone?
Remind me next fall to give you a wonderful recipe for a soup that is a meal called Ajiaco. I learned to love this in Colombia, South America. The first time it was served to us in a home we were ‘honored’ by being given half a chicken breast, bone and all in the soup. Traditionally it has about a 4 inch piece of corn on the cob in the bowl also however the corn can be cut. Cope’s corn, which I can find at Harris Teeter, is the best frozen corn I have found.
Blessings, ‘Zelle Phillips