Minestrone

Ingredients:

• 1 medium carrot
• 2 stalks celery
• 1 medium onion
• 1 medium potato
• 1 cup canned green beans
• 1 medium zucchini
• 1.5 cup cabbage
• 2 cloves garlic
• 3 tbsp olive oil
• 3 tbsp butter
• 2 cups chicken broth
• 1 cup tomato paste
• 1 cup canned navy beans 
• salt to taste
• 1/2 tsp dried basil, crumbled
• 1/2 tsp pepper
• 1-2 bay leaf

Directions:

• Chop onion, celery, carrot, green beans. Cut into cubes zucchini, potato. Coarsely shred cabbage and mince garlic.
• In a pot heat oil and butter, add onion, saute until soft. Stir in carrots and potato and saute for few minutes. 
• Stir in celery and saute for 5 minutes (if you use fresh green beans add them along with celery and saute) . Add zucchini and saute for another 3 minutes.
• Add cabbage and garlic, cook for 1 minute.
• Add broth, tomato paste, bay leaf, pepper, basil, salt and water to cover completely the vegetables. Rinse and drain navy beans and add to soup. Cook covered over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are cooked and soup is thick.

• Garnish with chopped parsley if desired.