"Diego's Killer Minestrone"

Winter is the time for soups, stews, and good breads, so when this recipe for minestrone soup appeared in our local newspaper this December, it jumped up and made me take notice. I thought it looked good on a number of levels; but the recipe needed modifications in a few places, so here it is, "Diego's Killer Minestrone."

Ingredients:

1 medium onion, chopped
1 large stalk celery, chopped
1 medium carrot, diced
2 garlic cloves, minced
4 cups fat-free, broth *
1 14.5 oz can diced tomatoes *
1 tsp dried rosemary
1/2 cup or more chopped spinach or other greens
2 15 oz cans, one kidney and one pinto beans , drained and rinsed *
1 cup uncooked whole-grain small shell or other pasta
1 small zucchini, diced
2 tbl fresh basil, chopped or 2 tsp dried
2  tbl nutritional yeast, optional (didn't use this one)
1 tbl dried cilantro *
1 tbl dried oregano *
2 tsp dried dill *
salt, pepper, Tabasco to taste *

Procedure:
In a large saucepan, heat about two tablespoons of water over medium heat.  Add the onion, celery and carrots and cook until softened, stirring occasionally, for about 5 minutes.  Add more water, about a tablespoon at a time, if vegetables begin to stick to the pan.

Add garlic and continue cooking for another minute. Stir in broth, tomatoes, rosemary, spinach, and beans.  Bring to a boil over medium-high heat and add pasta. Reduce heat and simmer for 10 minutes. Add zucchini, or green beans, cilantro, oregano, and dill. Cover and cook for 5 minutes more.

Remove from heat and stir in the basil and yeast. Simmer until time to serve, or cool, then refrigerate for later re-heating.

* The original recipe called for unsalted broth which wasn't available; a large tomato, but tomatoes this time of year are dismally free of taste thus the can of diced tomatoes; one can of beans, either kidney or pinto, we love beans so we tossed in one of each; cilantro, oregano, dill, salt, pepper and Tabasco were added for additional flavorings.