Mixed Vegetable Soup

Throw in whatever you have/prefer, great soup to cook in batches and freeze in portions to take to work or to school in a thermos, fresh and yummy....

Ingredients:

50g extra virgin olive oil   
1 brown onion, finely chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced   
400g mixed seasonal vegetables* (mushrooms, carrots, celery, spinach, peas, beans, potato, zucchini, broccoli, cauliflower) – diced.
1 Litre – vegetable or chicken stock (homemade if possible)

 

50g tomato paste
400g can of chopped tomatoes   
400g borlotti or cannellini beans, drained and rinsed.
100g dried pasta shells, risoni or grain e.g. barley, spelt.   
½ cup Parsley, chopped to serve.
Season to taste   


Method:

  • Heat oil in a large pot over medium heat.  Add onion and garlic & cook stirring for 3 minutes to soften. 
  • Add vegetables and cook stirring for 1 to 2 minutes.
  • Add stock, tomato paste, and tinned tomatoes, cook for 15 minutes at a simmer.
  • Add beans and pasta, and cook a further 15 minutes until pasta is cooked, add additional water if soup starts to thicken too much (as per your liking). 
  • Stir through parsley and serve. (freezes and reheats well, may need to add a little water due to pasta content).

* use whatever vegetables you prefer/feel like/are in season, mix up the colours, the more colourful the better for a good range of nutrients.