Well hello there everyone! Instead of boring you with how busy my school schedule has been the past month I will just get straight into sharing one of my all-time favourite soups. Now I understand that’s a pretty epic statement, but you will know exactly why I said this after you conjure up a batch.
Hodgepodge is a term I heard way back, and it’s pretty much just a quirky way of describing a soup with a bunch of different ingredients, which is exactly what this is. Although you can use any kind of mixed vegetables, I find the combination of the corn, peas and green beans adds a sweet undertone that makes this soup that much more addicting. The best part….it tastes even better after being refrigerated for a day. An even better part…although this soup is technically vegetarian, it is still filling enough to eat on its own for lunch, hence the use of the term “hearty”. Just add a piece of fruit for dessert and you are good to go!
Makes 4-6 servings
Ingredients:
1 large onion, chopped
1 ½ cups frozen mixed veggies (I used corn, peas and green beans)
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 ½ cups water
5 cups low-sodium chicken broth
1 28-oz can crushed tomatoes
2 tbsp tomato paste
¼ tsp dried basil
¼ tsp dried oregano
1 ½ cups whole wheat penne, uncooked
¾ cup white beans
3 cups raw spinach, chopped
1 tsp salt
1/4 tsp black pepper
Directions:
1. In a large pot heat oil over medium heat. Sauté onions and garlic for about 8 minutes, or until soft.
2. Add water, broth, tomatoes, tomato paste, mixed veggies, oregano, basil, pepper and salt. Bring to a boil over high heat. Cover and simmer on low heat for 25 minutes.
3. Add pasta, spinach and beans. Cover and simmer 10 minutes or until pasta is al dente. Serve warm.
Enjoy!