Warm and Cozy

Autumn has colorfully arrived, along with chilly rains. It's time for pumpkin spice lattes, fires in the wood stove and comfort food.

My husband made a delicious soup with our end-of-the-garden produce. This is somewhat how he made it...

Comforting Minestrone Soup
Ingredients:

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 large onion, diced
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 large carrot, sliced
1 ½ cup green beans

1 medium zucchini, sliced

4 cups stewed tomatoes
4 cups low-sodium chicken broth
1 15 -ounce can low-sodium kidney beans, drained and rinsed
1 cup elbow pasta

Combine all ingredients, bring to a boil, then simmer about 20 minutes.

Optional fresh toppings:
1/3 cup finely grated parmesan cheese
2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil