Soup!!

We have been under the weather for the last couple weeks so have been making and eating a lot of soup! I love to make my own chicken stock and use this recipe that is on my sister's blog. While we have been sick I made a lot of broth and we ate soup at least once a day for a few days when nothing else sounded good. I stuck to a basic chicken soup but there are many other yummy soups you can make with this homemade broth. I think it makes a huge difference in how your soup tastes!
My sister is looking for a good Minestrone soup today so I will post one here for her. I got this at one of the cooking classes I went to. I made yummy tortilla soup last night and will post it soon.

Minestrone Soup

3 Tbsp. olive oil
2 leeks, chopped or one onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic
2-3 carrots, chopped
2-3 stalks celery, chopped
4 cups chicken stock
2 cups water
1 Tbsp dried oregano
1 14.5 oz can diced Italian tomatoes
1 14.5 oz can kidney beans
1 14.5 oz can cannellini or lima beans
1/2 cup Italian green beans
1 8 oz can tomato sauce
1 zucchini, chopped in large pieces
1 cup shredded cabbage
1/2 cup pasta
salt and pepper

Saute leeks or onion in oil over medium hi temperature, add garlic, carrots and celery and saute for another 3 or 4 minutes. Add chicken stock and water, oregano, diced Italian tomatoes, all the beans, and tomato sauce and bring to a boil. Turn heat on low and let it simmer for 10-15 minutes. Add the zucchini and cabbage and simmer for another 5 minutes. Add pasta and simmer for another 10-12 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.

My notes: I add the veggies based on what I may have and what we like in soup. For instance I usually leave out the Itialian green beans. Also, since I am going wheat free these days I would substitute the regular pasta for quinoa pasta or just leave it out. I have been using quinoa in my chicken and rice soup in place of rice as well. It makes for a good substitute.