Soup can be a summer food...and a way to clean out your fridge

• I have been experimenting with some soups lately, which seems sort of strange for summer. But soups are hearty and filling, which on a hot day is important. There's nothing worse on a hot day than feeling too full.
• And, if you spice up the soup enough, you'll kick in your natural air conditioning.
• This soup is pretty simple to make so you can be in and out of the kitchen in a short amount of time. A little chopping (which you could do ahead of time, the night before when it's cooler in there), some stirring together of the ingredients and then put the pot on the stove to do its own thing while you cool your heels in the pool or on the back porch with a tall iced tea...or the drink of your choice.
• I like to put a lot of veggies and beans into my soups. There's no need for side dishes that way. One pot, one bowl and that's it.
• This is a variation on minestrone. I think there are as many versions of minestrone as there are people who make it. I had a friend who used to call it "left over soup", because she made it with whatever veggies were left over in her fridge on Saturday morning got thrown into the pot to simmer until lunch.
• So, don't worry if you haven't got all of the listed ingredients in your cabinet. Don't go to the grocery on this one. Just go through the fridge and see what there is.
• Minestrone
• 2 tablespoons of olive oil
• 5 carrots, chopped
• 4 stalks of celery, chopped
• 1 sweet onion, chopped
• 6 cloves of garlic, chopped
• 1 6 ounce can of tomato paste
• 15 ounces of cannellini beans or Great Northern Beans, soaked overnight
• 2 cups of a mixture of zucchini and yellow squash
• 1 1/2 quarts of water
• 3 tablespoons of chopped fresh basil
• 2 tablespoons of chopped fresh oregano
• 1 tablespoon of salt
• 2 cups of uncooked pasta
•  Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Stir the carrots, celery, onion and garlic into pot
•  Mix in the tomato paste, beans, broth and water.
•  Season with the basil, oregano and salt.
•  Cook and stir for 30 minutes, or until the vegetables are tender.
•  Mix the pasta into the pot.
•  Continue cooking for 40 minutes or until the beans are tender enough for your taste.

Vegan.