Soup is great when the weather gets cold. I also think that if your child takes lunchboxes to school its good to have something warm for lunch sometimes so why not include soup in a thermos flask. This minestrone soup in a healthy diet is easy to prepare and can be made in less than 20 minutes.

It also makes a tasty After School Snack I like to add pasta shapes to my minestrone and I have my own range of organic pastas available in Boots or from www.boots.com which includes Alphabet Pasta.

Ingredients

1 onion
1  clove garlic, crushed
2 tbsp olive oil
1 medium/large  carrot (75g) peeled and diced
half small stick celery  diced
½   X 400g can plum tomatoes, drained and chopped
1 tbsp tomato puree
1 litre chicken or vegetable stock
100g Annabel Karmel’s Alphabet Pasta
1 bay leaf
sprig of fresh thyme or pinch dried thyme
200g frozen peas
a little salt and pepper
fresh grated parmesan

Method:

Saute the onion and garlic gently in olive oil for 5 minutes.  Add the carrot and celery and cook for a further 5 minutes.  Add the tomatoes, tomato puree, stock, pasta, bay leaf and thyme.  Bring to the boil and simmer for 6 minutes.

Add the peas, bring back to the simmer and cook for a further 3 minutes.  Remove the bay leaf.

If you wish you can serve with a little freshly grated parmesan

Information:
MAKES 3 TO 4 PORTIONS