Mediterranean Vegetable Soup

I love this soup because I always have the ingredients on hand during the summer. Plus, as a bonus, it's a huge favorite with my kids (because I used to put "ABC" noodles in when they were younger!).

I guess it's basically a type of minestrone but I've never called it that because I don't like minestrone. Kidney beans and I do not get along. However there are no kidney beans here. So maybe it's not really 'minestrone'. I digress. Call it what you want.

At any rate, this is great when you have a garden full of greens and tomatoes to use up, and even with the chick-peas and pasta, it's nice and light, perfect for a summer supper.

Experiment with the beans and vegetable amounts and types, I've even used zucchini in it with great results.

Mediterranean Summer Vegetable Soup

• 1 sweet onion, chopped small or left in thin sliced rings
• 2 cloves garlic, minced or pressed
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 2 cups cooked chick-peas/garbanzos or white beans (or 1 can)
• 2 cups tomato juice or V-8 (OR 1 cup sauce + 1 cup water, OR your own homemade equivalent)
• 2 cups finely chopped fresh tomatoes
• 1/2 cup red wine
• 2 cups vegetarian broth (I use the broth from home-cooked chick-peas - Don't use the broth from canned ones though, it's salty and yuck)
• 3 Tablespoons minced fresh basil
• 2 Tablespoons finely minced fresh sage (or 1 tsp dry)
• 1/2 tsp fresh rosemary, finely minced
• 1/2 cup uncooked whole wheat pasta (macaroni, "A-B-C's" or orzo all work well here)
• 2 cups finely chopped greens; I use the quicker-cooking varieties here - chard, spinach, beet greens, tatsoi, dandelion, etc.
• several drops hot sauce
• salt and pepper to taste

In a large saucepan, cook the onion and garlic over medium low heat until onion is transparent. Add juice, wine and tomatoes and simmer for 20 - 30 minutes or so, until tomatoes start to break down.
Add broth, chick-peas and herbs.

Increase heat to medium high to bring broth to a boil.
Add pasta then REDUCE HEAT to simmer 7 minutes or until pasta is cooked.
Add greens and simmer 5 more minutes, until greens are soft/lightly cooked and pasta is done to your taste.
Season with a drop or two hot sauce, (for flavor, not heat), salt and pepper to taste.

Serves about 4 people.

Trying to use up some BEETS!

This salad was thrown together the other day to use up random kitchen and garden surplus.

The results? So yummy I decided to make it again, and share with you!!

Baby Beets and Greens Salad

4 cups baby spinach, baby arugula or mixed greens    (even some baby beet greens are nice here) 
12 baby beets 
1/4 cup toasted hazelnuts or pecans 
1 blood orange or two tangerines, peeled and sliced 
1/4 cup rice wine vinegar 
1/4 tsp. salt 
1 bay leaf 
5 whole black peppercorns 
fresh ground black pepper

Vinaigrette

1/2 cup fresh blood orange or tangerine juice 
1/4 cup honey (*gasp* yes, I know), agave or brown rice syrup 
1/3 cup olive oil 
1/3 cup grapeseed oil (or olive oil) 
2 Tbsp. rice wine vinegar 
1 Tbsp. chopped fresh mint

In a saucepan place cleaned beets with enough water to cover. Add rice vinegar, bay leaf, peppercorns and salt. Bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce heat to medium and continue to cook until beets can be easily pierced with a knife. Remove from heat, strain beets and allow to cool. Cut beets in half or quarters and refrigerate until ready to use.

Vinaigrette:
Combine juice, honey and rice vinegar in a bowl. Slowly drizzle oils in a steady stream while whisking continually to create an emulsion. Season with salt. Refrigerate until ready to use. Stir in chopped mint when ready to serve.

To Serve:

Lay greens on platter or individual serving plates. Lay slices of oranges on greens. Sprinkle with nuts and beets. (Or arrange all fancy-like if that's your thing...) Fresh ground black pepper to taste.

Drizzle with dressing.