Garden soup

I feel like pretending to be a food blogger again. I took the picture of the soup the last time I made it. Never mind that real food bloggers create their own recipes, I am pretending. I found this recipe in Diabetic Living magazine. It's full of garden veggies and to my delight, the girls and and Tom all ate this soup without a frown. It's easy to make gluten-free, just use Trinkyada shell noodles and a gluten-free brand of chicken broth, like Imagine. Also there are many subsititutes so you can avoid the vegetables your family refuses to even try. I was pleased with how my fam didn't even notice the spinach and K didn't recognize the green onions as real onions. I plan to go to the farmer's market next week and then make a double batch to freeze for later. I hope it freezes well.

Green Garden Minestrone, makes 8 1 cup servings

1 Tbsp olive oil

1 cup sliced celery

2/3 cup finely chopped leek

6 green onions

1 clove garlic, finely chopped

4 cups reduced sodium chicken broth or stock (does anyone know what the difference is?)

2 cups water

1 1/2 cups sliced fresh green beans and or fresh or frozen green peas

1/2 cup dried tiny shell pasta

1/4 tsp ground black pepper

1 pound asparagus spears, trimmed and thinly sliced or 8 ounces baby zucchini, sliced

6 cups fresh baby spinach or 1 1/2 cups finely shredded green cabbage

1/4 cup fresh basil

2 ounces thinly shaved Parmesan cheese (optional--we used the powdery stuff in a can since a block of Parmesan is not in our budget)

1. In a 4-quart Dutch oven, heat oil over medium heat. Add celery, leek, green onions, and garlic. Cook until crisp-tender, stirring occasionally.

2. Add broth, water, green beans, pasta, and pepper. Heat to boiling; reduce heat. Stir in the asparagus and spinach; simmer for 2 to 3 minutes more or until pasta and vegetables are tender. Stir in basil.

3. To serve, if desired, top individual servings with Parmesan cheese

Per serving: 85 cal, 2 g total fat, o chol, 321 mg sodium, 13 g carb, 3 g fiber.