Quickie Minestrone Soup

It's the perfect meal or first course . . . and when time is short, you can take shortcuts and have it ready in 30 minutes or less. Here is my secret to quick minestrone . . .

32 ounces homemade or low sodium chicken broth (vegetarians can substitute vegetable broth)
8 ounces of crushed tomatoes
1/2 tsp. fresh cracked black pepper
1 tbs. dried oregano
2 cloves of garlic, minced
A pinch of red pepper flakes (optional)

And LOTS of veggies -- this is the time to clean out your fridge if you want -- here are some of my favorites:

escarole or spinach leaves
string beans cut into bite-sized pieces
zucchini or summer squash, cut into small cubes
sliced scallions or leeks
carrots, cut into small cubes
Basil leaves

Other add-ins are chick peas, white or red kidney beans, and pasta (cook it first and then add so it doesn't absorb all the broth) but if you are eating low-carb, you can skip all of these.

Bring the broth to a boil, cover and turn to relatively low heat -- the broth should continue to boil, but only just barely. Once everything is cooked through and tender, ladle into a bowl, sprinkle with grated parmigiana cheese if desired, and enjoy with or without a nice piece of crusty Italian bread.