Minestrone

This is a traditional Italian soup that is colourful and hence captures children's attention and looks appetising for them in particular when they are sick. After a week's break, in London visiting museums with Anjalie, we have come back but with flu :( Anjalie and Naz have been quite badly off for past 2 days. As the norm is that both parents are simply not allowed to be sick at the same time, I am trying to fight (although a losing battle) to postpone the inevitable. After making their favourite chicken-noodle soup, yesterday, I decided to make all our favourite Minestrone. To me a hot minestrone with thinly sliced and toasted rye-sourdough bread is like lying down on my mother's lap when I am sick. I replaced most of the vegetables with 2 cans of mixed vegetables (drained) to make a quick minestrone. But I will list my traditional ingredients for when you have time to try. Also I made mine with more stock than normal since it was for a sick child. You can adjust according to your taste. Here is the recipe:

You will need (all vegetables chopped to bite size pieces):
1 tbsp olive oil
1 med onion chopped
1 leek chopped
3 garlic cloves crushed
1 can chopped tomatoes in juice
1 carrot chopped
1 small turnip chopped
1 med potato chopped
1 stalk of celery chopped
3 cups water
4 cups vegetable stock
1 can cannellini beans drained and rinsed
1 cup leafy cabbage chopped
1 cup pasta of any shape (I used children sized penne)
salt and pepper to taste
freshly grated Parmesan cheese (optional)
1 tsp oregano (fresh or dried for garnish)




Heat olive oil to medium heat in a soup pan. Add onion, leek and garlic and cook for 3 mins until onion turns translucent. Add the tomatoes, carrot, turnip, potato, celery, water and veggie stock and bring it to a boil. Stir in the beans and cabbage and season to taste. Reduce heat and simmer partially covered for about 1 hr or until all vegetables are soft. Toward the end of cooking (10 mins before), cook pasta according to package instructions and cook until tender (I made mine extra-soft for sick child). Drain and add to the soup. Garnish and ladle into warm bowls and serve with toast and salad. I used my pyroflam crock pot to make this and slow cooked for 1.5 hrs and served with toasted rye-sourdough bread.