Minestrone Soup

Minestrone soup is an awesome blend of vegetables,  beans and pasta. You really could add anything you'd like to this soup!  The great thing is, even if you're not a fan of one of these ingredients, you can't really tell it's in there but you still get the nutritional value of it. After simmering, all of the flavors blend together wonderfully!  This makes a big batch, possibly my enough to freeze half for another meal, depending on how many mouths you're feeding. (Note: if possible use canned goods with no salt added or reduced sodium, it is also possible to replace the canned vegetables with frozen)

1 can kidney beans (drained and rinsed)
1 can cannellini beans (drained and rinsed)
1 can diced carrots (drained and rinsed)
1 can green beans (drained and rinsed)
2 cans diced tomatoes, UNDRAINED
3 stalks of celery, sliced
1 onion,  chopped
1 small bunch of kale, chopped
1/2 cup pesto sauce
8 Oz pasta
8 cups of water (plus 5 teaspoons of chicken bouillon)

In a large soup pot, heat up some olive oil. Cook the onions and celery until they lose their crunch. Add kale and continue cooking until lightly wilted. Add all other ingredients and bring to a boil. Season with salt, pepper and garlic powder to taste. After bringing to a boil, cover and let simmer for 45 minutes, stirring occasionally. After 45 minutes your soup will be done. Sometimes I find that I need to add a cup or two of water at the end because the pasta absorbs more than expected. Be sure to add another sprinkle of bouillon if you add extra water!

Sprinkle each bowl with parmesan and enjoy!