If soup is good for the soul, then this soup is about to GIVE YALL LIFE. I am so excited to share this recipe with yall, it is one of my husband and I’s favorite dinners because it is SO delicious, filled with goodies, and got a little kick that all the bests have. And did I mention that it’s got enough spinach in it to make Popeye proud? It’s true. As if that weren’t enough to convince you, this soup magically gets better over night and the left overs are perfect for lunch the next day, or leftover dinner the next night. When I make this on a Sunday night it usually lasts us several days of leftovers until my husband and I fight about who gets the last of it. They say choose your battles but ya’ll I would die on the sword in a battle for the last drop of this soup.

Whenever I get a package of spinach, I can never seem to use it all. I can put it in eggs, saute some in a pan, make a salad and STILL I always end up seeming like I never even touched it. Thankfully I can always use all my spinach up in this soup where it magically disappears into the soupy goodness so I get all the benefits of stuffing my face with piles and piles of those little leaves. This recipe also includes zucchini and squash which are some of my favorite veggies to use because of their versatility. They are pretty mild in taste and will blend in to a variety of recipes so you can pack in the veggies without even noticing it. I’ve started using them more often in other dishes to dilute things that are NOT so healthy (rice, pasta, etc.) and I don’t even think my husband has noticed (and these are small little victories). I’m hoping one day my children will be compliant with this strategy though I’m pretty sure that’s such wishful thinking that I can hear my sister laughing at me.

When I shot this recipe for the blog I was making the soup at my mom’s to go along with a Lasagna she was making. It was that fateful day that my mom dropped some serious knowledge on me that I still can’t seem to shake. While we were prepping the food she offered to do the chopping, which I thought was so nice of her but also noticed she seemed a bit…….insistent on her offer….almost as if she didn’t WANT me to chop. I had to get to the bottom of this…… so I said “that’s nice but you always do the chopping I can do it”… but again she insisted…. so I said “OK lady, why don’t you like when I chop” and it was then that she told me something that has changed my life forever (only slightly dramatic). She said,

“You’ll never be as good of a chopper as me because you are LEFT HANDED.” Straight-faced. AS IF SHE PITIED ME.

And she should. Could this really be true? Is this the REAL reason why she tried switching the crayon in my hand all those years ago? Because SHE KNEW I’d end up being a SHITTY CHOPPER?! I feel so much more love for her feeble attempts to make me right-handed now. She just wanted me to have a chance at being a good chopper, that’s all. Bless. Her. Heart.

 

Ya’ll have got to make this soup. No ifs, ands, or buts about it. It’s a classic, full of healthy yums and even better left over. Looking at those left over veggies a little differently in your fridge now are you?

Any left handed people out there breaking the stereotype and killing it in chopping? TELL ME!

 

XO,

JESS

 

MINESTRONE SOUP

INGREDIENTS

• Extra Virgin Olive Oil
• 1 small-medium size yellow onion, diced
• 6 garlic cloves, minced
• 2 cups matchstick carrots
• 1 tablespoon red pepper flakes
• 48 oz Low Sodium Chicken Broth (depending on how much you want to make, this makes a big pot)
• 2 cups of water (same as above)
• 1-2 zucchini cut into cubed like pieces (depends on their size)
• 1-2 yellow squash cut into cubed like pieces (depends on their size)
• 52 oz (2 Pomi boxes) Crushed Tomatoes
• 1 can red kidney beans
• 3-4 handfuls of fresh spinach
• Tortellini or other pasta noodle or nothing if you are good like that (amount depends on the ratio you want in your soup, you got this)
• Dash of cream

 

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Heat olive oil in a large pot on medium high heat
2. Saute onions until translucent
3. Add garlic, red pepper flakes and carrots and saute until garlic is fully aromatic and started to brown (be careful not to burn)
4. Add zucchini and squash and saute 1 minutes
5. Add chicken broth (and water if making the larger amount)
6. Add crushed tomatoes
7. Add kidney beans
8. Add some salt and pepper to season
9. Bring to a boil and then reduce to simmer
10. Let simmer for at least 30 minutes
11. Taste to test the broth if it needs more salt
12. Add spinach (it will seem like alot and then will magically disappear as you stir)
13. Add tortellini/pasta and let simmer until pasta is al dente (around 10 minutes but just test as you go)
14. Turn to low and add a dash of cream
15. Ladle that ish into a bowl and have the best meal of yo life