Minestrone Soup

It is that time of the year again...yep, Vegan MOFO kick started early this year. September is Vegan month of food. It is my first time participating in this event and I can't wait to see how this month unfolds with the recipes in my list. I have chosen to do Soups from around the globe along with some of the classic comfort soups. 

My Vegan MOFO Post 1 is this hearty italian minestrone soup. Minestrone is a thick soup that is made with vegetables, pasta or rice, beans and some italian herbs. Minestrone soup is referred to 'cucina povera' (translates to 'poor kitchen' in italian) style of cooking which adheres to dishes with rustic and rural roots. The preparation and ingredients of minestrone soup has changed over the centuries and varies widely across Italy. It is probably one of the dishes that does not have a fixed recipe, which I think, serves as an advantage for the cook to get more creative.

The choice of vegetables is totally up to the individual. Some of the classic veggies included are onions, celery, beans and potatoes. This hearty soup makes for a satisfying meal. Give it a try!!

Ingredients:

1 large onion, finely chopped
3-4 cloves garlic, finely chopped
2 medium carrots, diced into 1/2 inch pieces (approx. 3/4 cup) 
1 medium zucchini, diced (approx. 1 1/4 cup)
2 stalks celery, chopped 
1 cup fresh green beans, cut into 1 inch pieces
4 1/2 cups organic low-sodium vegetable broth
14.5 oz can no-salt diced tomatoes
1 1/2 - 2 cups fresh spinach, rinsed and roughly chopped
15.5 oz can cannellini beans (or white kidney beans), drained and rinsed
1 cup whole grain elbow pasta (or any pasta of your choice)
Salt & Pepper, to taste
1 1/2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1/2 - 3/4 tsp crushed red pepper flakes, adjust to taste (optional)
1 tsp dried oregano
1 tsp dried parsely
3/4 tsp dried basil

For garnish (optional):

1 tbsp nutritional yeast
8-10 cashewnuts

Method:

Fresh veggies work best for this recipe although you can substitute with frozen too.

In a stock pot, heat olive oil over medium-high heat, add chopped garlic and crushed red pepper flakes. Cook for a minute until the flavor infuses.Add onion and cook until slightly translucent.

Add the carrots and celery and cook for 3-4 mins. Add the green beans and cook for 4-5 mins. Add the dried oregano, parsely and basil and cook for few mins.

Add the vegetable broth and diced tomatoes and bring to a boil. Add salt and pepper and mix well. Reduce to the heat to medium and simmer, uncovered, until all the vegetables are tender, for about 10 mins or so.

Stir in the cannelini beans, pasta and zucchini and cook for 8-10 mins until the pasta and vegetables are tender. Stir in spinach and cook until wilted, for 4-5 mins. 

Add more salt & pepper, if necessary. 

Ladle into bowls and garnish with vegan parmesan (mix of cashews + nutritional yeast). Serve hot with bread sticks. 

For variation, you can use potatoes instead of zucchini, red kidney beans instead of cannelini beans and also farro (wheat-based grain) instead of pasta.

To know more about what other Vegan MOFO-ers are cookin' up, check out the entire list here!!

Makes 5-6 servings.

Pesto Fettuccine

Fettuccine (means 'little ribbons') is a type of flat pasta which looks like a pile of ribbons. Traditionally, Fettuccine pasta is served with tomato and cream-based sauces. Dried fettuccine pasta is made using durum wheat and is cooked al dente (cooked but not too soft or overdone).

One of the classic italian dishes is Fettuccine Alfredo which is filled with creamy goodness. Since, I wanted something lighter and refreshing, I decided to make a pesto fettuccine. Pesto is a sauce made by pounding the ingredients and is normally made with basil, pine nuts and olive oil with salt and pepper.  I have always wanted to try making pesto but had a bag of Arugula staring at me for over a week. So, I ended up making Arugula pesto and it turned out good as well as flavorful.

Try replacing the classic ingredients in a recipe and give it your own twist for a nice family dinner night.

Ingredients:

For Arugula Pesto:

5 oz fresh arugula
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
3 cloves garlic
1/4 cup almonds
Salt, to taste
Pepper, to taste

For the Pasta:

6-8 oz dried fettuccine
1 tbsp butter
1 tsp minced garlic
3/4 cup frozen or canned artichoke hearts
10-12 asparagus spears (cut into bite-size pieces)
1/2 cup frozen spinach, thawed
Arugula pesto, as desired (I used approx. 3 tbsp pesto)
Grated parmesan cheese, for garnish

Method:

For the pesto:

In a blender, add the arugula, almonds, garlic, olive oil, salt and pepper. Grind to a fine paste and set aside. Pesto can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.

For the fettuccine:

Cook the dried fettuccine according to package directions with salt. Drain the fettuccine and reserve some pasta water for later. 

In a pan, melt butter and add minced garlic. Sauté garlic and add asparagus, artichoke hearts and spinach. Sauté the vegetables until almost cooked.

In a large bowl, add the vegetables, fettuccine, pesto and a ladle of the pasta water (keeps it from drying out). Toss them together until the fettuccine is coated well.

Garnish the fettuccine with grated parmesan cheese and serve with crispy garlic bread.

Makes 3 servings.