Revisit vegetarian....

Garlic, carrot, and onion ready to add to pot.

Parmesan rind, bay leaf, and sliced spinach mustard added to soup.

Adorned with shredded Parmesan and ready to eat!

In response to one of my followers (my sister), I am posting this recipe for a soup we had on Christmas Day.  This is my version of a combination of two recipes - one from Weight Watchers Italian Favorites, and the other from Giada's Everyday Pasta.  I have adjusted the recipe so it is vegetarian, hence no pancetta.  The parmesan rind, not part of the WW recipe, has been added for its wonderful flavor!  Also, I omitted the pasta that is in the Everyday Pasta version.  I like to serve this soup over toasted ciabatta which has been rubbed with half a garlic clove while the bread is hot.  Yum!

RIBOLLITA

1 Tablespoon olive oil

1 onion, chopped

1 carrot, chopped

2 cloves garlic, minced

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon pepper

1 Tablespoon tomato paste

1 can (14-oz.) diced tomatoes, with juice

1 15-oz. can canellini beans, drained and rinsed

1 teaspoon thyme

2 teaspoons Herbes de Provence

1 32-oz. container vegetable broth

7 cups thinly sliced fresh kale - or - 1 10-oz. pkg. frozen spinach, thawed and squeezed dry

3-inch piece Parmesan rind

1 bay leaf

- Heat oil in large pot over medium-high heat; add garlic, onion, and carrot.  Sprinkle with salt and pepper.  Cook until onion is tender, then add tomato paste, stirring to combine it with the vegetables.  Then add the tomatoes, beans, thyme, Herbes de Provence, vegetable broth, sliced greens, Parmesan rind, and bay leaf.  

- Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, then reduce heat and simmer 10 minutes, covered, until greens are done.  Serving size - 1 cup; servings - six to eight

I think any kind of fresh - or frozen - greens would work in this soup.  This is the first time I have used spinach mustard in this soup, but it was a good choice.  We have been able to harvest fresh greens from our fall garden all through the winter.  This is the first time the Man of the House has planted this variety, and we have found it to be very hardy.  

Did the groundhog see his shadow where you are?  Here, it would depend on when he decided to come out of his burrow.  Had it been early this morning, he couldn't have seen very much because we had some serious fog!  Had he waited a couple of hours, that shadow would definitely have been seen because we have had some lovely sunshine today.  I actually don't depend on the groundhog to be my meteorologist, though.:-)

I have noticed new followers!  Thank you for reading.  I enjoy your comments.

Tomorrow - Company coming.