Fall Minestrone Soup

My friend, Rachelle, made this for my family when we visited her family in Charlotte, NC this Spring.  It was DELISH.

She said it was from Alice Water's cookbook.
INGREDIENTS:

• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 1 chopped onion
• 2 carrots finely chopped
• 2 celery stalks chopped
• 3 garlic cloves, minced or pressed
• 1/2 tsp chopped rosemary
• 1 tsp chopped sage (or 1/2 tsp dried)
• 1 bay leaf
• 1.5 tsp to 2 tsp of salt (depending on your preference)
• 1 bunch of kale stemmed, washed and chopped fine
• 1 small can of diced tomatoes drained
• 3 (or more) cups of water or veggie broth (depending on how thick or thin you like it)
• 1/2 butternut squash chopped (you can buy it already chopped, or substitute 1 or 2 sweet potatoes chopped into 1/2 inch cubes)
• 1 or 2 cans of cannellini beans

DIRECTIONS:

1. heat large pot over medium heat and add olive oil
2. then add onion, carrots and celery.  Cook until tender
3. then add garlic, rosemary, sage, salt, bay leaf (may want to turn heat down so as not to burn the garlic).  Cook a few minutes until it smells wonderful
4. add kale and tomatoes and cook 5 minutes
5. then add water/broth.  Bring to a boil
6. once boiling add butternut squash or sweet potatoes
7. cook 15 minutes
8. add beans

"For extra yumminess, top each bowl with a bit of fresh grated parmesan or pesto. Enjoy!"

I put in more kale and garlic than it calls for, so I add more broth and water to help out.  I have only made this with sweet potatoes and have not added parmesan.  I did put some pesto on top once and it was AMAZING.