I’m not one to try new things. I had one bad (read: confusing) experience at Aldi and didn’t go back until today. But my friends kept telling me there were great deals, so I gave it another shot. I am here to report that it’s growing on me! I picked up a cart full of groceries for just sixty bucks! But it’s not without a few hiccups that take some getting used to. Word to the wise–bring your own bags and a quarter.
I have a laundry list of woes against Kroger, and a number of strange grocery shopping habits. It’s virgo season, so I am celebrating my oddities, rather than suppressing them. I’ve officially figured out the very best time and day to grocery shop (7:30 pm on Thursday), and I’ve also sleuthed out the best deals on all my frequent purchases. Kroger, if you’re reading this, why are you always out of fresh basil, huh?!
What are some of your grocery shopping secrets?
This week, I threw together a delicious summery soup chock-full of all the best in season produce. Minestrone typically has noodles, but if you’re a vegan, use a can of drained white beans instead! It’s not always easy to make plant-based dishes bring the flavor, but this one has all the things. Plus with a little scoop of pesto on top! Yum!
Let’s get started on this recipe! First things first, prep all your vegetables, then we’ll talk.
Saute your onions, carrots, celery and garlic in some olive oil in a large dutch oven. Then add in the remaining vegetables and spices–green beans, zucchini, squash, corn, potatoes, basil, oregano, bay leaves, canned diced tomatoes. Add in your broth and bring to a boil.
Turn down to low and simmer for 25 minutes. Then comes the good part. Add your ditalini and simmer for another 8 or so minutes or until the ditalini is tender. Top the soup with parmesan and pesto if you have it!
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 onion, diced
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 2 carrots, diced
- 1 celery stalk, diced
- 1 cup fresh green beans, ends trimmed, cut in half
- 1 zucchini, sliced
- 1 summer squash, sliced
- 1 potato, cubed
- 2 ears of corn, sliced off cob
- ½ tsp oregano
- 1 tsp basil
- 2 bay leaves
- salt to taste
- 1 15 ounce can diced tomatoes
- 5 cups vegetable broth
- 1 cup ditalini noodles, dry, or other short noodle
- pesto for topping
- grated parmesan cheese for topping
- In a large dutch oven or pot, add a tablespoon of olive oil over medium high heat. Once pan is warm, add the onion, garlic, carrots, and celery. Saute for 5-7 minutes or until the onion is translucent.
- Add the green beans, zucchini, squash, potato, corn, oregano, basil, bay leaves, a couple pinches of salt, tomatoes, and broth. Bring to a boil. Once boiling, bring down to a simmer and simmer uncovered for 25 minutes.
- Add the ditalini noodles and cook for an additional 8 minutes or until the pasta is tender. Serve hot and top with a spoonful of pesto and some grated parmesan.
Leave a Reply