Minestrone 

Featuring: Taste of the Mediterranean

A stuffed artichoke with a slice of Crumb Brother’s 5 seed bread, and a blood orange for dessert is a perfect way to make this soup a meal.

This week’s soup, Minestrone, originates from Italy!

Many countries and islands throughout the Mediterranean have become known for their heart-healthy, diabetes-fighting cuisine known as the Mediterranean diet.

What are the benefits for you to start choosing more of a Mediterranean way of life? What would that even mean for you? How can you get started?

Watch this video and find out.

So just to recap ...

The 5 steps to the Mediterranean diet are:
     1. Increase fruit and vegetable consumption.
     2. Transition from red meat to chicken and fish.
     3. Use olive oil instead of butter.

     4. Cook more → natural, whole foods vs processed foods.
     5. Snack healthy.

At soup this week, we will be sampling some of those hearty, heart healthy delicious dishes of the region. They’re so good, you’ll want to start using them. Don’t worry. We have the recipes right here for you.

Lucky you.

Minestrone Soup

Yield: 8 quarts

Ingredients:

• 4 ½ T Olive oil
• 7 ½ cups onion, diced (1200 grams)
• 11 garlic cloves, minced (100 grams)
• 3 cups carrots, diced (400 grams)
  
• 1 ¼ cup celery, diced (300 grams)
• 1 ¼ T dried oregano
• 1 tsp black pepper
• 1 T salt
• 1 ¼ T basil, fresh
• 1 ¼ cup bell pepper, diced (210 grams)
• 2 ⅓ cups zucchini, diced (350 grams )
• 10 cups broth
• 10 cups water
• 5 cups tomato puree
• ¾ cup tomato paste
• 3 ¾ cup garbanzo beans, cooked
• ½ cup dry red wine
• 2 ⅛ cups tomatoes, chopped (415 grams)
• 1 ¼ cup whole wheat pasta

Directions:

1. In a large pot, saute onion, garlic, and carrots in olive oil for 10-15 minutes, but be certain onions are VERY translucent.
2. Add celery, oregano, black pepper, salt, and basil. Cover and cook over heat for 5-10 minutes.
3. Add peppers, zucchini, broth, water, tomato puree, tomato paste, garbanzo beans, and red wine. Bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer and cook for another 15 minutes.
4. Add tomatoes.
5. Cook pasta separately (about ¾ of recommended cooking time, or still al dente). Add before serving.

Fava Bean Recipe

Ingredients:

• 1 cup dried fava beans
• 2 ½ cups vegetable broth, or water if desired
• 4 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 T olive oil
• ⅔ cup almonds, chopped
• Basil, 1 tsp dried or 2 tsp fresh
• Extra olive oil and almonds for serving

Directions:

1. Add the fava beans, 2 garlic cloves, and broth to a crock pot and cook overnight (or 4-8 hours) on high. 
2. Once cooked, drain of the liquid.
3. In a small pan, heat the olive oil. Add the other 2 garlic cloves and fry for a minute. 
4. Then add the almonds, fava beans, and salt. Stir fry for a couple of minutes. Turn off the flame and let it cool.
5. Add in the basil and serve!

This can also be served as a spread by:

• Blend the bean mixture with a tablespoon olive oil and water. 
• Use more water for a creamy spread or less water if you still want a little chewier. 
• Stir-in small pieces of almonds for crunch. Taste the spread and season it with more salt if needed. 
• Serve in a dish topped with some extra olive oil and almonds.

Pictures and adapted recipe can be found here.

Authentic Recipe of the Isles - Stuffed Artichoke

Serves 4

Ingredients:

• 4 small artichokes or 2 large
• Ricotta cheese, 32 oz container
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 2 T parsley
• Sardinian pecorino (or parmesan)
• 2 T olive oil + more for drizzling
• ¼ tsp White pepper
• ⅛ tsp Salt
• Lemon juice for topping

Preparation:

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees F (220 degrees C).
2. Rinse and trim of the very tips of the leaves with kitchen scissors.
3. Remove the choke of the artichoke by opening up to the very center and remove the leaves smaller than a quarter to reveal the hairy choke - remove all the hair.
4. Mix the rest of the ingredients except the lemon juice together. Stuff each leave with the mixture,   starting at the bottom leaves. Having a helper hold the leaves makes this even easier.
5. Drizzle lemon juice and more olive oil over the tops of the artichokes.
6. Wrap each artichoke in aluminum foil and place in a baking dish to cook for 1 hour and 20 minutes.

Adapted from a Sardinian blog. 

Five Seed Wholegrain Bread

Visit Crumb Brothers for nutrition information.

Dessert - a delicious, juicy Blood Orange

Bon Appetite!