Summer Minestrone Soup

What is a person to do with all the zucchini and yellow squash that seems to take over the garden and our kitchen counters? One solution is to make a summer soup. Even the worst gardener seems to be able to grow squash and zucchini. Believe it or not, zucchini is very good for us. One medium zucchini provides as much as 14% of our daily allowance in potassium and 58% of our daily allowance of vitamin C. Vitamin C has been shown to support the immune system and greatly reduce chronic diseases, according to the Mayo Clinic. Besides that, zucchini is a low carbohydrate food, yet provides both fiber and protein, making it one of the best vegetables to include in your health regimen. Enjoy this soup on a busy work night or a relaxing weekend with friends.

Summer Minestrone Soup

Ingredients:

• 1 large onion, diced

• 1 clove garlic, minced

• 4 cups vegetable broth or water

• 1 carrot, diced

• 1 medium zucchini, diced

• 1 medium yellow squash, diced

• 3 fresh garden tomatoes, diced

• 1 15 ounce can, cannellini beans, rinsed and drained

• 8 ounces of pasta of choice (I use gluten free)

• salt and pepper to taste

• Prepared pesto

Directions:

1. In a large pot, add a little water, diced onion and garlic. Sauté until onion is translucent and garlic is fragrant.

2. Add broth or water, carrot, zucchini, and squash. Cook for about 5 minutes.

3. Then add tomatoes, beans, and pasta of choice.

4. Continue cooking until pasta is done. Season with salt and pepper.

5. Divide into serving bowls and top with a spoonful of prepared pesto.

Chickweed (Stellaria media) Pesto

Spring is my favorite time of year. I love the cool mornings that merge into warm afternoons. The fact that the days are growing longer makes my rhythm dance as the dawn breaks. The beauty of color and life that emerges after a winter’s sleep brings about opportunities. By that, I mean opportunities of beneficial weeds that are so plentiful in our yards. One of those beneficial weeds is chickweed (Stellaria media). This plant grows in almost every soil and is readily available for the taking. Most people find it to be a nuisance and work desperately to rid it from their gardens, foot paths, and lawns. Chickweed has been found to have health benefits in the following ways:

• Aids in digestion and weight management. Chickweed functions as both a mild laxative and a diuretic, helping rid the body of toxic substances.  

• May help minimize inflammation. People affected by rheumatoid arthritis can use this herb to help ease inflammation in their joints and relieve the pain caused by this condition.

• Aids in wound healing. This herb has been used to promote wound healing and ease infections through its antiseptic and antifungal properties.

If you’ve missed the taking of this plant this spring, you will have another chance this fall. The drying of the chickweed can be combined with teas as well. This year, I made a pesto with the abundance growing in my yard. Feel free to add chickweed to your salad too!

Chickweed Pesto

Ingredients:

• 4 cups of chopped chickweed, washed and hard stems removed

• 3/4 cup olive oil

• 3 cloves of garlic, chopped

• 1/4 cup pine nuts or walnuts

• 1/2 cup parmesan cheese

Directions:

Add all ingredients in a food processor and pulse until fully combined. Add more oil if necessary. Adjust ingredients to your liking.

Serve with a variety of garden vegetables and/or pasta of choice.