The Italians are beautiful because they’ve turned what is essentially peasant fare into an internationally renowned cuisine. Take pappa al pomodoro. Fancy, huh? Can you say, “Day-old knot of stale bread in tomatoes and water?” A staple there, a delicacy here. The same goes for minestrone, which I’ve always claimed is Italian for “Whatever is in the pantry goes in the pot!” Actually, minestrone comes from the array of dishes known as cucina povera or “poor kitchen.” It’s a bit of a misnomer, though, as minestrone is rich in vital nutrients, most notably lycopene, a phytochemical in tomatoes that has anticancer properties, especially with prostate cancer.
Recipe information
Yield
serves 6
Ingredients
Preparation
Step 1
Heat the olive oil in a soup pot over medium heat, then add the onion and a pinch of salt and sauté until golden, about 5 minutes. Add the carrot, celery, zucchini, garlic, oregano, thyme, fennel, red pepper flakes, and 1/4 teaspoon of salt and sauté for about 4 minutes. Pour in 1/2 cup of the broth to deglaze the pot and cook until the liquid is reduced by half.
Step 2
Add the remaining 7 1/2 cups broth, the tomatoes, and the beans and bring to a boil, then lower the heat and simmer for 20 minutes.
Step 3
Stir in the chard and another 1/4 teaspoon salt and cook for 3 minutes more. Stir in the pasta and the parsley. Serve topped with Basil Lemon Drizzle (if using) and a sprinkling of Parmesan.
variation
Step 4
This soup is the ultimate “clean out the refrigerator” dish. All of those slightly aged vegetables you thought you were going to eat will find a nice home in this pot of yum. During the winter, substitute diced delicata or butternut squash for the zucchini. You can bump up the nutritional value and anticancer properties even more by adding that leftover cabbage I know you have in the back of your fridge.
storage
Step 5
Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days or in the freezer for up to 2 months.
nutrition information
Step 6
(per serving)
Step 7
Calories: 300
Step 8
Total Fat: 6g (0.5g saturated, 3g monounsaturated)
Step 9
Carbohydrates: 55g
Step 10
Protein: 12g
Step 11
Fiber: 13g
Step 12
Sodium: 600mg
CULINARY RX
Step 13
You don’t have to lift weights to pump iron. Try eating kidney beans instead. Chemotherapy zaps iron, and low iron counts can lead to the blahs (that’s our technical term for a lack of energy). Kidney beans are full of iron, and their complex carbohydrates guarantee a nice slow, efficient infusion of energy. For people who avoid eating red meat, being sure to consume other foods high in iron, such as kidney beans and lentils, is a must.
