Minestrone Soup

A colorful winter warmer-upper.

Ingredients

¾ cup cooked beans (white, kidney, or lima or fresh peas)
2 tablespoons butter
½ cup onions, chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
3 cups broth
1 cup carrots, sliced
½ cup green beans, chopped
½ cup zucchini, cut in half lengthwise and then sliced
¾ cup celery tops, sliced
2 cups green cabbage or Swiss chard, slivered
½ teaspoon dried oregano
½ teaspoon dried thyme
1 cup parsley, chopped
1 cup tomato, chopped
½ teaspoon salt or kelp
2 tablespoons olive oil (optional)

Directions

Cook beans (see below) and set aside. Sauté onions and garlic in butter until soft. Add broth and bring to a boil over medium heat. Add carrots and green beans. Reduce heat and simmer 2 or 3 minutes. Add zucchini and celery and simmer until zucchini begins to soften. Add cabbage and herbs and simmer until cabbage begins to soften. Add beans and allow to warm. Add parsley, tomato, and salt and let simmer another 2 minutes. Add olive oil and serve. Serves 4.

Variation: Add beef, lamb, turkey, or chicken to this soup to make a complete meal. In this case, the broth should match the flavor of the chosen meat.

Notes on cooking beans

You can presoak dried beans and then freeze them in the soaking liquid to cut cooking time in half. Simply soak beans for 2 hours in sufficient water to cover. Drain, freeze for 2 hours, and then cook in a cup of broth or steaming water.

Basic bean recipe

1 cup dried beans (except lentils or split peas)
1 or 2 bay leaves (helps digestion)
3 cups water
Salt to taste

Directions

Soak beans in cold water for 6 to 8½ hours (in refrigerator if kitchen is warm). Remove any beans that float. Bring beans to a boil and simmer for 1½ to 2½ hours or until tender. Do not add salt until tender. Remove bay leaves.

Quick soak method: Bring water to a boil. Add beans slowly so that boiling does not stop. Remove pot from heat and let stand covered, 1 hour. Cook beans as directed above.

Adapted from The Candida Albicans Yeast-Free Cookbook, 2nd edition, by Pat Connolly and Associates of the Price-Pottenger Nutrition Foundation (published by the McGraw-Hill Companies).

About the Author

Pat Connolly was the guiding light of PPNF for over 30 years, as teacher, curator, and executive director. She was instrumental in bringing new information to public awareness, including the treatment of Candida albicans and the importance of organic gardening and farming.

Check out these other recipes from Pat Connolly:

Kidney Stew

Tongue Pâté

Oat Bran-Sweet Potato Muffins