Ridiculously good green Minestrone!

Let the sun shine in!

As i write this, we are at day 24 of our so called '30-day-elimination-diet' and are appreciating our new way of living, more and more each day. I think not drinking alcohol, or coffee for that matter, really makes a difference, but not eating gluten just changes everything. I really feel 'thin' and energised. Not that I've ever been 'big', but the bloated- and full feeling, I often felt at the end of the day, is as good as gone. And besides that, my skin finally starts to look the way it's supposed to be: healthy and shiney! 

The fact that all our effort really makes us feel better, healthier and cleaner is just something to celebrate and to share. A 30 day elimination diet is therefor one thing I can highly recommend to everybody.

So. What we'll eat than? What about this slightly adjusted recipe I found in the awesome cookbook Vegalicious: a green summer minestrone with freshly made pesto, that tastes ridiculously good? It's just made of freshly organic vegetables and herbs and looks like a little party in your bowl. 

Eating all these greens isn't only delicious, it's certainly good for you too: asparagus have a high content of vitamin C, E, K and folic acid (vitamin B11) and contain substances that help you break down fat stores. They stimulate the growth of healthy bacteria in the intestines that make for good digestion. Basil, for example, gives relief from colds, coughs, asthma, headaches, and fever. It relieves mental fatigue, is enlightening mind and improves concentration. Also mint helps relieve colds and coughs, but also eases the gastrointestinal tract to rest after vomiting or nausea

Enjoy!

SEE THE WHOLE RECIPE

Ingredients (serves 4)

2 tbsp olive oil

2 cloves of garlic, finely chopped

2 shallots, finally diced

2 stalks celery, chopped

1 fennel, chopped

2 cups (250 gr.) of fresh or frozen peas

150 gr. haricot verts, chopped

1 (large) bunch of green asparagus, chopped in pieces

1 liter vegetable stock (form 3 vegetable cubes)

1 handful of fresh mint leaves

1 handful of fresh basil leaves

4 tbsp of freshly made pesto

freshly ground pepper and sea salt

Directions

• Chop the shallots, the garlic, celery and fennel
• Than heat the olive oil in a cast iron pan, and melt the garlic, shallots, celery and fennel for about 10 minutes.
• Remove the hard stems of the asparagus, and cut them in pieces. Do the same to the haricot verts.
• Add half of the peas, the haricot verts, and asparagus and stir fry for about 5 minutes.
• Than pour the water and cubes into the pan, bring to a boil, and simmer for about 20 minutes.
• Add the other half of the vegetables to the pan and cook for another 10 minutes. You can always add a little more boiling water if you think the soup is too thick.
• Add the fresh mint and basil and season with freshly ground pepper and salt.
• Divide the soup into the bowls and add 1 tablespoon of pesto to each one of them.

Bon appétit!

Finely cut the shallots

Chop the garlic

Cut the celery

Remove the stems of the fennel, 

..and finely cut them 

Add 2 tbsp of olive oil to your pan

Add the shallots, garlic and fennel, and melt for 10 minutes

Remove the hard stems of the asparagus,

..and cut them in pieces

do the same with the haricot verts

Add half of the peas, the haricot verts, 

..and asparagus and stir fry for about 5 minutes.

Pour the water and cubes into the pan, bring to a boil, and simmer for about 20 minutes

Add the other half of the vegetables to the pan and cook for another 10 minutes. You can always add a little more boiling water if you think the soup is too thick.

Add the fresh mint and basil and season with freshly ground pepper and salt.

Divide the soup into the bowls and add 1 tablespoon of pesto to each one of them.