Click on photos to ENLARGE and then hit the back arrow to return to the post.

Hi everyone,

Hope you are well. Once a week before my next grocery shopping, I clean out the veggie bin in my refrigerator and decide what I can make with the leftover veggies from that week before my next shopping trip.

Today I had some cherry tomatoes, one leek, one zucchini, carrots, two bell peppers, a small bunch of kale that needed to be used, and celery. I had a lot of ingredients for either a frittata or a Tuscan bean soup so I decided to go with the soup for lunch.

I also had some leftover ciabatta bread I could grill and I always have beans & broth in the cabinet so I was set. I wrote down my steps as I went along and decided to post this quick recipe. I hope you try it and enjoy it.

And remember, all these veggies can be substituted with whatever you desire or have leftover in your veggie bin.

Have a great weekend and Happy Cooking…..

Tuscan Bean Soup

Ingredients:

• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1 medium leek, washed and diced
• 4 carrots, diced
• 3 celery ribs, diced
• ½ lb. of cherry tomatoes halved
• 1-2 bell peppers, washed and sliced
• 4 cloves of garlic, chopped
• 3 sprigs of fresh thyme
• ½ tbsp fresh rosemary, chopped fine
• ½ tsp garlic powder
• ½ tsp oregano
• 1 bunch Dino/Tuscan kale, washed, stems removed, and leaves chopped (I find this type of kale not so chewy).
• ½ tsp of crushed Calabrian peppers in a jar OR ½ tsp red chili flakes
• 1 small zucchini diced
• 1 tbsp of tomato paste
• 8 cups of low sodium vegetable broth
• 2 cans (14 oz) of cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
• Salt and pepper to taste
• Parmesan rind (optional)
• Grated cheese for serving
• Ciabatta bread for serving

Instructions:

• Heat the olive oil in a large pot and sauté the leek, carrot, bell peppers, celery, and zucchini for approx. 8 minutes until they are soft
• Stir in the garlic and Calabrian peppers and 1 tbsp of tomato paste and cook for an additional minute
• Add the fresh tomatoes and cook for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally until they break down
• Stir in the fresh thyme, fresh rosemary, oregano, garlic powder, salt, and pepper, and add the vegetable stock and parmesan rind if using. Stir to combine and add the beans. Bring the soup to a boil.
• Lower the heat and simmer for 15 minutes with the LID ON, then stir in the kale. Put the lid back on and continue to simmer for 5 minutes until the kale wilts.
• Season to taste, and serve with grated cheese and toasted crusty bread.
• Remove the parmesan rind before serving and any stems from the thyme…

______________________________________________

Until my next post, make every day a celebration!

Stay well,

Diane

Please ask your family and friends to “follow”, “like” “share” and JOIN  DishingwithDiane.com 

Once you become a member, you’ll never miss a post…

Also, continue to send me your comments, I love hearing from you.