Garden Minestrone Soup

Ingredients:

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 large onion chopped
• 1 large celery stalk, diced
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 teaspoon dried basil
• 1/2 teaspoon dried rosemary
• 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
• 1/4 cup pearled barley
• 2 medium white potatoes, peeled and diced
• 2 large carrots, chopped
• 1 turnip, diced
• 8 cups stock (vegetable, chicken, beef, whichever is preferred)
• 16 oz can red kidney beans, rinsed
• 2/3 cup small shell whole wheat pasta
• 1/2 cup tomato paste
• 2 cups finely chopped kale, green cabbage, or spinach (any living green of your preference)
• Salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

Heat a large soup pot over medium heat, add olive oil. Cook onion and celery stalk until tender, about 5 minutes. Add in garlic and dried herbs, cook about 5 more minutes. Next add in barley, potatoes, carrots, turnip, and stock. Bring to a boil and immediately turn down to a simmer. Simmer 20 minutes. Add rinsed beans, pasta, and tomato paste. Simmer until pasta is cooked through about 10 minutes. At the end right before serving, stir in finely chopped living green - kale, green cabbage, or spinach. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Recipe Source: Lisa Fligor family recipe (and made in Tahoe Forest Cooking Club's Packing Nutritious Lunches class)