DELICIOUS MINESTRONE SOUP & THE HUNGRY SOUL

Nourishing others with yummy healthy food is my happy place. Working hard with my hands to provide goodness that I know is healing in some way, brings me such abundant peace and joy. As I slowly prepped and cooked this food today, I kept feeling overwhelmed with gratitude for the ingredients in my hands; Abba is so good. Man can not live on bread alone (though some of us would like to live on bread), and I thought how the joy I find nourishing my husband and family with this food is nothing compared to how The Lord fills the places inside our hearts. He nourishes and satisfies those who seek Him with the sustenance that is unparalleled anywhere else. I think of  how much of my life I spent chasing "happy" or trying to feed my hunger and thirst with emptiness. It's like comparing this gorgeous slow cooked healing food to a .99 cent fast food burger. When we fill ourselves with the empty things that we think will fill us, we always come up hungry a short while later. Let the Lord fill you today. Be in His presence. Find gratitude in the small things... and ENJOY THIS SOUP!

MINESTRONE SOUP RECIPE:
Ingredient amounts vary based on your hungry mouths to feed :)
NOTE: My way of cooking this is VERY slow because I use dried beans, make my own stock, and prefer the taste when it's slow cooked. You can absolutely make this much much quicker. It can take 1hr to 5 hrs depending on what you do.
Olive Oil
1-2 garlic cloves chopped 
1/2 white onion chopped
4 stalks chopped celery 
2 cups chopped (or shredded) carrots 
Dried Herbs (Italian seasonings - dried oregano, thyme, basil)
Black Pepper, Himalayan Salt 
Kidney Beans (I used dried 1.5 cups)
14 oz diced tomatoes with juice
Vegetable broth (4 cups If you buy it - I make mine as I'm creating the soup)
1/2 cup chopped Zucchini 
Diced green beans 
1/2 cup shell, small penne or elbow pasta (I used a lentil gluten free pasta)
Cheese (optional)

1. Heat olive oil over medium heat in a large soup pot.
2. Saute onion, celery, garlic, and carrots in the oil for 5 minutes or until onions begin to turn translucent.
3. Add dried herbs (fresh can be added as well) and stir. At this point if you are using boxed veggie broth, add that in with water if needed to reach your desired liquid amount. Allow to simmer 30- 1 hr. Now you have homemade fresh veggie stock. (Remove fresh herbs or bay leaf If you added any)
4. If you are using dried beans like I did, add them now because they can take a couple hours to soften. I allowed my beans to simmer to the veggie stock for 2 hrs. 
5. If you are using canned beans, add the beans, diced tomatoes, zucchini and diced green beans. Allow to cook another 20 mins to 1 hour depending on your preference.
6. Add pasta and cook low-medium for an additional 20 minutes or until desired consistency.
7. Add cheese (or not If you are doing dairy free) Some people like to add the cheese to the top after serving it... I throw it right in and allow it to melt into the ingredients. (Cheese recommendations for minestrone - Parmesan, Regiano, Asiago) ENJOY! Hugs.