Healthy Winter Veggies Minestrone Recipe
Healthy Minestrone Recipe (Quick Reference)
Ingredients
1 bulb roasted garlic
3 small onions
3 pounds butternut, other winter squash, or sweet potato
5-6 large carrots
3 stalks celery
1/2 bell pepper (optional)
Kale or other winter greens (optional)
2 quarts chicken, beef or veggie broth
1/2 cup red wine (optional)
1 tsp dried basil
1 tsp dried oregano
1/2 tsp black pepper
Sea salt to tase
Optional fillers:
Cooked, chopped chicken
Cooked, chopped kielbasa or beef hot dogs
Cooked pasta, any style
Hominy
Canned peas or corn
Canned olives
Canned Mushrooms
Directions
While garlic is roasting, peel and thickly slice the onions. Peel and seed the butternut, and coarsely chop. Peel and chop the carrots into large chunks. Coarsely slice or chop the celery. Seed and coarsely chop the bell pepper, if using. Coarsely chop the kale or greens, if using.
Place all the veggies (except roasted garlic) into a large soup pot. Add broth, red wine, and seasonings. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, cover, and simmer for 30 minutes or until tender.
Turn off heat. Add roasted garlic to the pot.
Let cool slightly, and puree in batches in a food processor. Alternately, puree in the pot with an immersion blender.
Add optional pre-cooked filler ingredients and reheat to desired eating temperature.
Enjoy!