Fresh Approach Cooking

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Spinach is back, baby!

Like a phoenix rising from the ashes, or Kate Moss reviving her career...spinach is big and bold and green as ever. And (please, please) here to stay.

Three cheers for spinach.

Reviled by some, but loved by others, no matter how you feel about the power-green, you have to admit it's good to see it back.

After all the tragedy associated with it of late, I admit I was hesitant to buy it, but since I have never been the pre-bagged-buying type, it was no big deal to get some of the frozen variety (yes, frozen) and add it to some soup. (Since I am still a bit paranoid, I figure putting it into something that is simmered is a better idea than making a salad...)

Minestrone.

The ultimate meal in a bowl. Hearty, filling and good-fer-ya, it’s an autumn staple and a snap to pull off when the days are gloomy and the nights getting long.

(Could this post be any more cliche ridden? Eek!)

So try this my warming potion my peaches, and enjoy.

3 tablespoons olive oil
1 large onion, minced
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 large carrots, peeled and diced
2 stalks celery, sliced medium
2 tomatoes, diced
1 zuchinni, diced
5 cups vegetable stock
3 tablespoons tomato paste
2 tablespoons dried oregano
1 cup cooked cannellini beans
1 cup frozen spinach
¼ cup small pasta (I used shells and grattoni)
¼ cup Parmesan cheese, grated
a few leaves of fresh basil or a teaspoon dried
salt and pepper to taste


In a large pot, heat the oil over a medium-low flame. Add the onion, garlic and carrot and saute until the onion is just translucent, about 6 minutes (this is called "sweating").

Add the carrots, celery, auchinni and tomato and continue to saute for a few minutes.

Add the stock, tomato paste and oregano. Bring to a gentle simmer. Taste and add more tomato paste if needed. Let simmer for 25 minutes.

Add the beans, spinach, pasta, basil and cheese. Stir to combine and let simmer for another 10 minutes or until the pasta is soft.

(If you are going to store the soup, cook the pasta separately and add when serving.)

Season to taste and serve.

Serves 6-8

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Spinach originated in Persia, where it was known as "aspanakh".

Disney Cleans Plate of Junk Food: Walt Disney Co. said Monday that it would start lending its characters' names mainly to healthful foods. Disney said it would essentially follow federal guidelines for children's diets. In its parks, it will replace French fries and soda in kids' meals with vegetables and juice. In its licensing deals, by 2009 Disney will limit portion sizes and in most cases refuse to tie its brand to foods that get more than 30% of their calories from fat, more than 10% from saturated fat or more than 10% from added sugar. Exceptions will be reduced to 15% of Disney-related foods by 2010- LA Times.com

Minestra is Italian for "soup," Minestrina ("little soup") is a thin broth, while minestrone ("big soup") refers to a thick vegetable soup that generally contains pasta and sometimes peas or beans. - Epicurious

Labels: Soup, Vegetarian