Ambrosia for Breakfast, Minestrone Soup

It makes me happy to have for breakfast a cup of AMBROSIA made about sixty hours ago, so that the flavors have mingled and chilled together so nicely, in a chunky cup decorated with a gold and red checkerboard border and little green Christmas trees and gold stars around its circumference.

MINESTRONE SOUP
Inspiration here and here.

1-2 tablespoons olive oil
large onion, chopped
three cloves garlic, sliced
three ribs celery, chopped
5-7 stems from the chard I had earlier in the week, chopped
two large zucchini, chopped into chunks
large can diced tomatoes
1/2 cup tomato puree (I just had some left over)
tablespoon Italian herbs
teaspoon marjoram
1/2 teaspoon powdered thyme
teaspoon paprika (in one of those recipes)
cup chicken stock
sprig fresh rosemary
three bouillon cubes
two teaspoons garlic powder
tablespoon dehydrated minced onion
cup dry ditalini or other small pasta (you could use more but I'm minimizing)
4 cups cooked navy beans
half a bag of fresh spinach inadvertently frozen in the mud room fridge (drat!)
teaspoon pepper, salt to taste

Saute onion, garlic, celery, chard stems, and zucchini in olive oil, then add other ingredients through the chicken stock, bring to a boil, check flavor, then add the other things through the pasta. Simmer until pasta and zucchini are tender, then add beans and spinach. Don't overcook to the point of mushy beans and veggies, but let sit on the stove an hour or so before eating, then heat gently again. I expect the leftovers will be even better next week.

I know that's a lot of ingredients, but it just follows how I operate in the kitchen. Consider the two recipes linked above that I used for inspiration.

Verdict: Excellent. I didn't have much appetite, though. :-(


TODAY'S MENU

Early Breakfast (I got up at 5:15!)--AMBROSIA with flax seed meal

Later Breakfast (about 10 a.m.)--Half a whole-wheat bagel with one egg (half the yolk) and a teaspoon of homemade, homegrown elderberry jam

Lunch (I see the problem with publishing everything I eat--some of it is just weird)--2 cups of steamed broccoli with about 1/3 cup homemade mac & cheese and 2-3 oz. baked pollock

Snack--pecan triangle (Ours are actually squares, and I didn't have any yesterday!). I can tell I do better without the treats--having this has made me feel "munchy" for the late afternoon, but then again, since I got up almost twelve hours ago, maybe I'm just ready for supper!

Supper--MINESTRONE SOUP; one bite of hubby's pumpkin pie; maybe a piece of fruit I'll choose after I post this.