Snap Pea Minestrone Soup

John and I made this soup a couple of nights ago and can not stop raving about it’s health benefits as well as its incredibly simple, yet gourmet flavor! We took the recipie from Sunset Magazine’s February issue, but made it extra nutritious by omitting the ham, chicken broth and butter and adding kale, mushrooms, veggie broth and olive oil instead of butter. You can easily “Veganize” this recipie by keeping the egg and cheese out.  This is a hearty, one pot meal that the whole family will love! Make it tonight!

Makes 6 servings or so…(psst – make sure you use as many organic ingredients as possible to avoid ingesting pesticides and other toxins conventional food is covered in)

• 4 carrots, cut into small dice
• 1 leek, white and light green parts only, thinly sliced into half-moons and rinsed well
• 1/3 cup sliced green onions
• 1 package button mushrooms
• 6 kale leaves, deribbed
• 2 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 teaspoon distilled white vinegar (optional)
• 4 large eggs (optional)
• 10 cups vegetable broth, or “no chicken” broth
• About 1/4 tsp. pepper
• 1/2 cup tiny pasta, such as farfalline or orzo
• 2 1/2 cups diagonally sliced sugar snap peas
• About 1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese (optional)
• About 2 tsp. chopped fresh tarragon leaves

Preparation

1. Cook carrot, leek, and green onions with butter in a large pot over medium heat until vegetables soften, about 5 minutes.
2. Meanwhile, in a large saucepan, warm vinegar and 1 1/2 in. water over high heat until bubbles form on pan bottom, then reduce heat to medium-low. Break eggs into water, keeping them slightly apart. Cook until whites are firm but yolks are still soft, 3 to 4 minutes. Transfer eggs with a slotted spoon to a plate.
3. Add broth and 1/4 tsp. pepper to vegetables. Cover and bring to a boil over high heat. Add pasta, kale and mushrooms and boil gently, uncovered and stirring occasionally, until tender, 7 to 8 minutes. Stir in snap peas and return to a boil, then stir in 1/2 cup parmesan, 2 tsp. tarragon, and more pepper to taste.
4. Ladle into bowls and top each with a poached egg. Serve with more cheese, tarragon, and pepper if you like.