Minestrone Stew

Soup, stew, or if you’re a Rachel Ray fan, stewp…Nearly any variation of those sultry “S” words will seduce me on a cold winter’s day. Nothing warms me up like a hot, steamy bowl of soup when I’m feeling the winter chills. Like this minestrone soup—hearty, spicy, filled with that fiery heat I was looking for during this past week of freezing temps. The following recipe is for a minestrone-styled stew with a few small twists. Feel free to add rice or pasta to make your bowl even that much heartier.

Minestrone Stew

-2 Tbsp. olive oil
-1 large onion, diced
-4 stalks celery, diced
-2 carrots, sliced
-2 cloves garlic, minced
-2 medium potatoes, chopped
-14.5 oz. can fire roasted tomatoes with green chillies, undrained
-5 cups water or vegetable broth or a combination
-15.5 oz can cannellini beans, rinsed and drained
-15.5 oz can chick peans, rinsed and drained
-1 tsp. basil
-1 tsp. oregano
-1/2 tsp. Chinese five spice
-1/2 pound kale, optional
-Salt, pinch
-Chives, chopped, optional

In large sauce pan, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add onion, celery, and carrots, and cook 5 minutes. Stir in potatoes and garlic, cover, and let sweat another 3 minutes. Add tomatoes, spices, and water/broth and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer, uncovered, for 20 minutes. Add beans and salt, to taste. Simmer 5 minutes. Add kale, if desired, and cook another 10 minutes, or until kale is tender. Remove from heat. Serve with a handful of chopped chives, if desired.