Ingredient: Orzo Pasta

Meatless Minestrone for Mondays and Beyond

Meatless Minestrone for Mondays and Beyond
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Servings
4
Servings
4
Meatless Minestrone for Mondays and Beyond
Print Recipe
Servings
4
Servings
4
Ingredients
Servings:
Instructions
  1. Heat a large soup pot over medium high heat. Add the tablespoon of olive oil and swirl to coat the bottom of the pan. Add the onions and carrots and a pinch of salt. Cook for several minutes until the vegetables begin to soften.
  2. Add the garlic, red pepper flakes and the bay leaves to the pot and cook another minute or two, stirring frequently.
  3. Pour in the can of tomatoes, juice and all and the vegetable stock. Bring up to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat to a simmer and cook covered for 20 minutes or so, stirring occasionally. At this point you can cool the stock and refrigerate until the next day. You can also complete the recipe at this time if you want.
  4. Coat a non-stick pan with olive oil cooking spray and heat over medium heat. Add the artichoke hearts and cook for 5 - 6 minutes or so turning once until lightly browned on both sides. Remove from pan and set aside.
  5. Repeat the above process with the zucchini slices.
  6. When you are ready to complete cooking the soup, (re)heat the stock to a simmer. Add the chickpeas ans pasta and cook for 5 minutes, stirring it once or twice.
  7. Add the green beans and cook for 4 minutes or until they are the amount of tender crisp you like.
  8. Add the browned artichokes and zucchini and simmer everything gently until it is all heated through. This should only take a couple of minutes. Taste and add salt and pepper as needed.
  9. Ladle into four soup bowls and top each with two of the toasted bead slices (recipe follows) and a drizzle of olive oil.
Cheese Toasts
  1. Heat oven to 375 degrees. Lightly coat the bread slices on both sides with olive oil cooking spray and place them on a foil lined baking sheet. Toast for 8 minutes, turning once. Top with the cheese and return to the oven set on broil and cook until the cheese is melted and slightly brown.
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Spinach Orzo Salad

Spinach Orzo Salad
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This lemon forward pasta salad is great for parties. Make it a main dish by adding Feta Cheese and maybe some cooked chicken or garbanzo beans.
Servings
12
Servings
12
Spinach Orzo Salad
Print Recipe
This lemon forward pasta salad is great for parties. Make it a main dish by adding Feta Cheese and maybe some cooked chicken or garbanzo beans.
Servings
12
Servings
12
Ingredients
Servings:
Instructions
  1. Boil the orzo in salted water according to package directions. While the orzo is cooking, squeeze out the thawed spinach and crumble it into the bottom of a colander.
  2. When the pasta is cooked drain it into the colander with the spinach. Drain well, rinse under cold water, and drain again. Pour it all into a large bowl.
  3. In the meantime, chop the red peppers and onions and slice the olives. Remove all of the zest from the lemon with a grater and squeeze all of the juice into a small bowl. Set all of these wonderful things aside.
  4. Pour about 2 tablespoons of the olive oil over the orzo spinach mixture and toss to coat evenly.Open both packages of the dry soup mix and sprinkle them onto the mixture. Stir to combine everything very well. Add the lemon zest and stir well again.
  5. Add the reserved vegetables and toss to combine things.
  6. In a jar with a tight fitting lid combine the remaining olive oil, the lemon juice and the white balsamic vinegar. Cover and shake well to blend. Pour about 1/2 to 2/3 of the dressing on the salad and toss to incorporate.
  7. Cover the salad and refrigerate for at least 4 hours, but better yet, overnight. Store the rest of the dressing in the refrigerator as well.
  8. Just before serving, remove the salad from the frig and toss it well. Add the remaining dressing and toss again. Transfer to a serving bowl and feed the masses.
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