Nourishing Meals by Mackey McNeill
Minestrone Soup
Several years ago, I traveled to Ireland for a women's retreat. One of the highlights? Several visits to Avoca, a fast-casual restaurant with some of the best deli-inspired meals I’ve ever tasted. The restaurants serves fresh soups, made daily. Naturally I had to order one. It was so incredible, I continued to order soup for every subsequent visit.
Before heading home, I picked up a copy of their (very small) soup cookbook. It’s one of my absolute favorites. This recipe is a slightly adapted version of their “Low GI Minestrone Soup.”
2 onions, peeled and chopped
4 tablespoons olive oil
2 carrots, peeled and diced
2 sweet peppers, seeded and diced
1 chili, finely chopped
4 garlic cloves, peeled and finely chopped
2 tablespoons quinoa, rinsed
2 celery stalks, diced
1 quart chicken stock
1 pint canned tomatoes
1 teaspoon tomato paste
15oz can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
2 teaspoons dried oregano
1teaspoons dried thyme
Gently sauté, on low heat, the onion in 4 tablespoons of olive oil for 10 minutes. Add carrots, peppers, chili, garlic, and quinoa. Toss in the oil and cook 2-3 minutes. Add the celery, stock, tomatoes, and tomato paste and cook for 15 minutes, or until vegetables are just cooked. Add the chickpeas and cook for another 5 minutes. Add herbs and salt to taste. Stir and serve.
Variations:
Substitute vegetable stock for chicken stock for a vegetarian soup
Add ½ to ¾ pound of Italian sausage or grilled chicken for a more substantial soup
Substitute hot pepper flakes for the chili
Add more oregano and thyme for a spicier soup