Easy and Economical Minestrone Soup

Did you know that you can make a week’s worth of soup for yourself for under $10?!

How, exactly, is this possible?

Thank you to: TRADER JOE’S!

Although the cost of the ingredients is a bit more than $10, you don’t use ALL of the garlic, celery, pasta, or olive oil (of course) for one pot of soup. So, after it’s said and done, it’s just about $10!

Ever since I’ve worked for Trader Joe’s, I’ve been DYING to try the crown artisan sourdough rolls. I FINALLY DID when I made this soup!

Simply pop them in an oven heated to 350 degrees F and bake for about 5 minutes or so, until they are warmed through and crisp on the outside! YUM!

AND NOW…on to the soup!

Seriously (no joke), I’ve made this soup THREE TIMES THIS WEEK!!

It’s really THAT easy! It doesn’t take more than 1 hour (30 minute of which you don’t have to do anything but sit back and relax!)

Feel free to play around with different veggies and pasta shapes.

I find it very helpful to keep a bowl on hand to throw food waste in while prepping the veggies.

Let’s hope for more rain soon! WE ALL KNOW the simple equation: RAIN + SOUP + ROASING FIRE = HAPPINESS J

VEGETABLE MINESTRONE

3 tbs Olive Oil

1 Onion, chopped

2-4 cloves garlic (depending on your desire), minced

1 Head of Celery, chopped

Sea Salt (to taste)

Freshly Ground Black Pepper (to taste)

One 16 or 18 oz can of Canned Tomatoes

2 tsp dried oregano

4 cups Vegetable Broth

4 cups Water

1/2 lb Pasta (any small shape-can use whole wheat or brown rice)

1 can Kidney Beans, rinsed

1 can Cannellini Beans, rinsed

After prepping the veggies, heat the olive oil in a large pot on medium heat for about 1 minute.

Throw the garlic, celery, and onion in the pot and sauté for about 8-10 minutes, or until tender.

Add salt and freshly ground black pepper to your taste; then add the oregano, rubbing it between your fingers to release its flavor.

Pour in the canned tomatoes, vegetable broth, and water. (HINT: The vegetable broth comes in a container that holds 4 cups. After pouring in the broth, use the container as a measuring cup for the water.)

While the soup heats, boil a large pot of water, add a generous pinch of sea salt, and cook the pasta al dente, or until it’s almost done. If you cook it till it’s completely done, it will get soft and mushy in the soup. (YUCK!)

Once the soup has come to a simmer, skim off the foam on the top with a spoon.

Strain the pasta and add it to the soup along with the beans.

Add salt and pepper (if needed), and serve warm with a nice crown roll from TRADER JOE’S!