The coldest season of the year asks us to turn inward and rest, rest, rest. But rest doesn’t just involve getting a good night’s sleep; it engages every part of our being. Eating warm, light foods allows our digestive systems to rest as well, so the body doesn’t need to work so hard to process the foods we choose to eat.

January is National Soup Month, a time for us to warm our bodies with every spoonful. After all of the holiday indulgence, a bowl of soup is a welcome change! Give our Minestrone Soup recipe a try. It’s versatile and can be easily tweaked to utilize the ingredients in your refrigerator or pantry. Try baking some crunchy chick peas on the side—delicious!

Minestrone Soup

1 Tablespoon butter

1 onion, chopped

4 Potatoes, peeled and chopped

4 carrots, peeled and chopped

1 large zucchini, chopped

1 Tablespoon olive oil

1 (15 oz) can cannellini or other white bean (drained)

1 (28 oz) can crushed, fire-roasted tomatoes

2 cups broth or water

1 cup frozen peas

Sea salt, to taste

Freshly ground pepper, to taste

1 teaspoon mushroom seasoning

Directions

Melt the butter in a large pot. Saute the onion about 3-4 minutes, or until translucent and fragrant. Season with salt and pepper. Add the potatoes and mix to combine. Cook for 5 minutes. Then add the carrots and zucchini. Drizzle with the olive oil. Mix and cook for 5 minutes longer.

Add the beans and stir. Then add the canned tomatoes and broth or water. Season with the mushroom seasoning; stir to combine. Cover and allow to cook for about 20 minutes. Add peas toward the end of the cooking time.

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