The time for long sleeves, many layers and Ugg boots is almost gone for another year. While I am a true winter baby and always will be, I can say that this year I am looking forward to some warmer weather and more daylight hours. But there are so many things to love about winter: scarves, drinking a billion cups of tea a day (who am I kidding, I do this in summer too), snuggling up on the couch with a book and a blanket, and warming yourself from the inside out with a big bowl of minestrone.
In my opinion, soup needs to be hearty and chunky in order for it to be classed as a meal. I am not about eating lunch or dinner and then getting hungry again an hour later because my meal was not filling enough.
This is why I class minestrone as the queen of all soups. It is full of veggies (and pasta, cha-ching) and hence will keep you full and satisfied, tastes delicious and can be generally doused in parmesan cheese and still remain FODMAP friendly.
As a side note, I was so relieved when I found out parmesan was a safe food. It has got to be one of my favourite cheeses. I used to sprinkle it on chocolate ice cream as a child (no, I don’t know what I was thinking) and once I even sent a dish of it back at a restaurant when I was 6 because I knew it was off (what a snob).
Anyway – back to the soup. This recipe is modified as compared to a more traditional minestrone to make it friendly for those of us on the low FODMAP diet, but I believe it still delivers. I made mine in a slow cooker but the recipe could easily be made on a stovetop in a soup pot – just add some more liquid as needed because more of it will evaporate, and adjust the cooking time.
It’s a fantastic make-ahead lunch option during winter, a great freezer meal to pull out and reheat when needed, and a wonderful family dinner. Pair it with some low FODMAP bread or parmesan crisps (my mouth waters at the thought), and you are good to go!
Minestrone
Ingredients
- 2 medium carrots
- 1 large potato
- 1 stalk celery
- 1/4 cabbage of choice
- 1 can diced tomatoes
- 1 low FODMAP chicken stock cube
- 3 cups water
- mixed herbs
- 1/2 cup gluten free pasta
- parmesan
Instructions
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Add all ingredients to the slow cooker except the pasta and parmesan, place the lid on and cook on low for 5 hours or until vegetables are tender.
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When the soup is ready, cook the pasta and stir it through before serving. Top with parmesan if desired.