Soups / Stews,  Vegetarian

Tortellini Soup

My week days are a bit longer now.  Gone is the 15 minute commute home with plenty of time to slip in a bike ride before dinner. These days I’m lucky to find traffic moving well enough to make it home in an hour.  Truly a grueling drive, traffic so jammed to a crawl that my GPS will ask me if I want to switch to pedestrian mode!

Once home, the sun has set, the air is chilled and I just want to get inside to  my comfy, soothing, familiar surroundings.

I always have a week’s worth of meals planned out in advance but most nights now I’m finding that I just want to be pampered.  A glass of wine, Cab or Merlot, lights dimmed to candlelight, unconditional hugs and kisses from my puppies and a light meal, easily prepared, warming to my soul and senses.

Carbs tend to calm and sooth me but, in excess, have other effects on me!  So to balance out my emotional needs with my physical requirements, I used spinach tortellini in this, added in lots of greens and in less than 30 minutes a big bowl of comfort is ready to  welcome me home!

Tortellini Soup

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 leak, thinly sliced

3 cloves garlic minced

pinch of crushed red pepper flakes

2 cups vegetable broth or chicken broth, preferably homemade

14 oz can of diced tomatoes

1/2 pound spinach tortellini or filling of your choice, i.e., cheese

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

1 teaspoon dried oregano

5 cups coarsely chopped spinach or greens of your choice

optional ingredients:  1 cup cooked cannellini beans

Freshly grated parmesan cheese for topping

In a large saucepan, heat oil over medium heat.  Gently saute the leeks, crushed red pepper and garlic.  Stir in broth and diced tomatoes and their liquid; bring to a boil.  Add in the tortellini, spinach or toher greens, cannellini beans if using, and dried oregano.  Reduce heat to a simmer and cook for about 7-8 minutes or until tortellini floats to the top and greens have wilted.  Season with salt and pepper to taste.  Serve with freshly grated cheese.  Makes about 4 servings.

 

 

I love being in the kitchen. Early mornings, soft music, a hot espresso. Easing into the preparation of delicious meals. Glancing through cookbooks, gathering inspiration and planning my day. I look forward to the cycles of the seasons, the pleasures of tasting and savoring and sharing this with those dear to me. Weekends are special to me as my week days are often rushed, but still I create the ambiance, light the candles, set the table and uncork the wine.

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