Hearty Fall Vegetable Soup recipe by chef and fellow ALKie, Juli Posner

With the cold weather upon us ( and the holidays right around the corner), I love making a one-pot meal that's great the "day of”, and only gets better day-by-day….. That is, if your family doesn’t devour it in one sitting! Having it be super healthy is an extra added bonus!

For this soup, which is more like a stew, a little crusty bread on the side is really all you need.

 You will need the following:

*1 tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil

*2 medium leeks (light-green and white parts only), well-rinsed or soaked in water, and cut into half moons.

*1 large carrot peeled and coarsely chopped

*1 large parsnip peeled and coarsely chopped

*4 cloves of garlic minced

*1 cup of butternut squash cut into 1" cubes

*1 cup of zucchini cut into 1” cubes

*4 cups of vegetable stock (use low sodium if you prefer)

*1 cup of water

*15 ounces of fire-roasted diced tomatoes

*1 bay leaf

*1 sprig of fresh thyme (or 1 tsp dried)

*15 ounces of canned cannelli beans (rinsed and drained)

*1 bunch of torn kale (leaves only)/substitute spinach if you prefer

*optional: freshly-grated parmesan cheese for serving

Instructions:

In a 5 1/2 quart Dutch oven, preheat the oil, add the leeks, carrots, parsnip, and sautee for about 2 minutes.

Add the butternut squash and zucchini and sautee for about 1 minute.

Add the stock, water, diced tomatoes, bay leaf, and thyme.

Bring to a boil, the reduce heat to a simmer. Add the beans, and continue simmering about 20 minutes (or until vegetables are tender).

Add the kale and simmer for about 5 minutes more utill wilted.

Remove from heat and discard the thyme sprig and the bayleaf.

Add salt and pepper to taste and freshly grated parmesan cheese to serve if desired.

Happy Eating- Your fellow Alkie and chef

- Juli Posner (follow on Instagram: @Apracticalchef )