Veg(etari)an Minestrone Soup

With fall upon us, I have this driving need to make soup. It's a comfort food and I find it be very soothing, both in the eating AND in the process of making it because I can just go with the flow and toss in whatever I have in the fridge/freezer/pantry. One of my favorite forms of cooking is what I like to call the Pantry Game: What can I make with what I've got on hand? Not to toot my own horn or anything, but I kind of rock at this game because I keep a very well stocked pantry and the creative challenge really gets me thinking outside the box. Soup is one of the easier pantry challenges because, basically, anything goes. Having basic staples like different kinds of pasta, canned beans, canned tomatoes/sauce/paste, loads of frozen vegs, and an abundance of spices allows me the freedom to experiment whenever I feel like it.

I'm off work today and it's been overcast all day after rain moved through last night. It's not exactly cold out, but with the lingering dampness, it's the kind of day that just screams for something cozy to eat in front of the TV with the dog in your lap. (That's just a suggestion, albeit one of my favorite serving suggestions... you can eat it however you want.)

Veg(etari)an Minestrone Soup

Ingredients:
1 Tbs. olive oil
1 medium onion, diced
2 carrots, chopped
2 ribs of celery, chopped
1 pint of cherry tomatoes, diced (I usually just use a can of diced tomatoes, but thought, what the hell?)
1 bay leaf (I always throw a dry bay leaf into my soups)
1 Tbs. garlic powder (oh go ahead, use the fresh stuff if it doesn't give YOU a migraine)
1 Tbs. dried basil
1 Tbs. dried rosemary, crushed
1 Tbs. dried parsley
1 Tbs. dried dill
1 Tbs. lemon pepper
1/2 tsp red pepper flakes (I didn't necessarily want a spicy soup, but it gives a nice heat in the background)
salt & pepper to taste
6 cups of vegetable stock (I suppose you could use water, but why? chicken stock is another good option if you don't care about it being vegetarian)
1 (24 ounce) jar of marinara (whatever you have in the cupboard is fine; I never actually use the stuff with pasta since I like to make my own, but it works fabulously in this application) *feel free to use tomato sauce instead or even V-8 juice
2 inch piece of Parmesan rind (I've mentioned this before here) *omit for vegan recipe
8 ounces of mixed veg (if you don't have this staple in the freezer... *shakes head* you're an idiot, and just made a whole lot of extra work for yourself) *depending on the brand, this will include green beans, corn, lima beans, peas, carrots, okra, and/or potatoes
1 (15 ounce) can of cannellini beans, drained and rinsed (really, any kind would work- these happen to be MY favorite)
1 cup of dried ditalini (elbow macaroni or orzo would work here, or even rice)
7 ounces of extra-firm tofu, diced and baked (I've mentioned baking tofu before here)

Directions:
In a large stock pot over medium heat, cook the onion, carrots, celery, and cherry tomatoes in olive oil until softened, about 10 minutes. Add in all spices and stir to combine before pouring in the vegetable stock, marinara, and Parmesan rind. Raise the heat to medium-high and bring soup to a low boil for about 10 minutes before once more reducing the heat to medium and adding in the mixed veg. Continue to simmer the soup for another 10 minutes or so, until the added vegs start to soften before tossing in the beans and dry pasta. By now, the soup should be thickening somewhat so turn the heat to low, add the tofu, and cover, simmering for another 5-10 minutes until the pasta is cooked. Don't forget to remove the bay leaf before serving. And, like most of my soups, this one freezes beautifully... if you have any leftover, that is. ;)

Enjoy!