Delicious and sustaining Minestrone

Ingredients:

1 Red Onion

2 Cloves Garlic

1 Stick Celery

1 Carrot

1 Medium Sweet Potato (can use butternut, pumpkin or white potato).

1 or 2 Courgette/Zucchini

Handful of green beans

3 Large Tomatoes (can use a Tbsp of tomato paste or tin of chopped tomatoes)

*  Feel free to substitute above vegetables with what you’ve got in the fridge.  Keep in mind that vegetables from the Cruciferous family ie cabbage, cauliflower, brussel sprouts and broccoli can sometimes cause gas in breastfeeding mamas and their babies and might want to be avoided if your baby is suffering with excess wind and/or a sore tummy.

2 Tbsp Olive oil plus extra for drizzling

500mls of good quality vegetable or chicken stock.

Splash (1/4 cup) of white wine (optional)

1 Tin of Kidney Beans (or substitute for cannellini, black, pinto, broad beans or chick peas)

Large handful of pasta (whatever you have but smaller sizes best ie macaroni, twirls, shells etc)

Tbsp of Basil Pesto (optional but tasty)

Large Handful of fresh herbs – I used Marjoram and Parsley but you could also use Basil or Oregano.  If no fresh herbs use one tsp of dried herbs of your choice.  * Set some fresh herbs aside for sprinkling on top if you have.

Salt and pepper to taste

Feta cheese for crumbling on top and spreading on wholemeal toast (optional). Can use Parmesan too.

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Directions:

Finely dice the onion, slice the celery and crush/chop garlic.

Heat the olive oil and fry the onion for a couple of minutes until soft.  Add the garlic and celery and cook for a minute or so until soft but not brown.

Finely chop or grate the carrot and sweet potato and add – gently frying for about 5 minutes until soft.

Add 500mls of vegetable or chicken stock and a splash of white wine (if using) for flavor.

Chop the courgette/zucchini and green beans into small pieces.  Add to soup along with finely chopped tomatoes/tin chopped tomatoes or tomato paste depending on what you’re using.

Add a tablespoon or so of Basil pesto if using to taste.

Add the tin of beans (if using) that have been rinsed and drained and a handful or so of dried pasta.

Bring to boil and then turn down to simmer for 15 to 20 minutes, stirring occasionally until pasta is cooked through.  You may need to adjust the liquid/stock adding more if the soup gets too thick.

Add a handful of fresh herbs or one tsp of dried herbs if using and simmer for a couple more minutes.

Season with salt and lots of ground black pepper to taste.

Serve in a bowl and drizzle a tsp or so of olive oil and scatter fresh herbs on top along with crumbled feta, a dollop of yoghurt or grated parmesan and ground black pepper.  I served this with wholemeal toast that was also spread with feta but you can leave out the cheese/yoghurt if you are dairy free.

This recipe will serve 2 large portions or 3/4  smaller but you can double it up to make more.  Feel free to add more vegetables and stock to make as much as you want.  Just taste and add herbs/pesto/beans etc to the quantity that you want.  There are no hard and fast rules.