Organic Italian Soup

Another easy, simple dinner recipe that will knock your socks off!

Well okay, it’s not entirely organic, only the onion, carrots, celery and zucchini were organic. The vegetables came from a local organic produce CO-OP I’ve recently joined. I’ll write a separate post about the CO-OP later. For now, THIS SOUP ROCKS!

Last week, I told you about the Italian cookbook and made the Spinach and Rice soup. I pretty much did the same thing here, except using a large zucchini.

My husband was amazed that soup could taste so good. It was hard not to go back for a second bowl. Once allowing the first bowl to settle, the feeling of being full came over us. The soup is very satisfying by itself. I served it with cracked pepper Triscuits, but we didn’t need them.

HERE’S WHAT ALL I DID

• 2 tablespoons each, butter & olive oil
• 1 small onion thinly sliced
• 2 celery stalks, finely diced
• 5 small carrots, finely diced
• 1 large zucchini, diced
• 1/2 cup parboiled rice
• 2 cups chicken broth
• 1 (15oz) can chick peas/garbanzo beans
• 1 teaspoon dried parsley
• 1/4 teaspoon curry
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon pepper

In a medium soup pot on medium heat, cook onions, celery, and carrots in butter and oil, until carrots are tender. Add zucchini and rice, pinch of salt and pepper, stir and cook for about 5 minutes, until the zucchini softens and the rice turns a light golden color.

Pour in chicken broth and chick peas with their liquid, 1/2 teaspoon salt & pepper. Bring to a boil, cover, then reduce heat for a low simmer. Cook for 20 minutes until rice is tender. Topping it with freshly grated Romano or crumbled goat cheese makes it even better!