Veganuary – Minestrone recipe from Ardgowan’s kitchen!

January can be a time for resolutions, lifestyle changes and bold decisions. There’s no end to the challenges you can take on, from Dry January to press-up and squat challenges. One increasingly popular choice is taking part in Veganuary – a month-long commitment to living a plant-based lifestyle. In this post, we’ll share some comforting vegan soup recipes that not only nourish the body but also warm the soul. Whether you’re participating in Veganuary to raise money, for health reasons, or for animal welfare and environmental concerns, Veganuary is a chance to try out some new dishes and maybe even some new ingredients you may not have used before.
So to help you fill your fridges and cupboards, Ardgowan Hospice cook, George, has shared his go-to recipe for a lovely vegan soup. These nourishing soup recipes are just a small taste of the nutritious and filling foods you can enjoy on your plant-based journey, and what better time to make big pots of soup than during a cold, wintery January!
From Hospice Cook, George:
Minestrone Soup
Fill 3/4 of a pot with diced celery, diced onion, sliced leeks and grated carrot. Equal amounts of all veg •Add rapeseed oil and lightly sweat off the veg •Then Your going to take tinned plum tomatoes with the juice, and blend them till smooth, enough to fill up 2/4 of the pot. •Then you wanna fill 1/4 of the pot with Napoli sauce and then the remaining 1/4 of veg stock •Bring it to the boil, reduce to a simmer for a about 2 hours skimming off any scum at the top with a ladle •Due to it being a tomato based soup it can taste quite bitter, to fix this add a few tbsp of sugar, once the bitter taste is gone add some salt to season. Boil Mini vegan Pasta Separately – I cook my pasta separately from the soup as this keeps the pasta from turning to mush, I just add a handful of cooked pasta to the soup when serving. It also allows people who are gluten-free to enjoy the soup.