Tuscan Vegetable Soup With Fresh Sage

• 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 4 tablespoons sage leaves, coarsely chopped (NOT dried)
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 cup fresh green peas or 1 cup frozen green pea
• 1 cup green beans, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
• 1 cup carrot, cut into coins
• 1 cup zucchini or 1 cup yellow squash, diced
• 1/2 cup celery & leaves, stalks diced and leaves minced
• 1 medium sweet potatoes or 1 potato, peeled and diced
• 1 (16 ounce) can cannellini beans, rinsed and drained
• 6 cups sodium-free vegetable broth
• 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
• salt, to taste
• fresh ground black pepper, to taste

1. In a soup pot heat up the olive oil on low-medium heat and lightly saute the sage leaves; about 5 minutes. With a slotted spoon, remove leaves from pot and set aside. In same pot, saute the garlic until soft, only a minute or two.
2. Add the green peas, green beans, zucchini, carrots, potato and cannelini beans. Stir mixture over medium heat for 5 minutes.
3. Add the vegetable broth and red pepper flakes. Simmer until the vegetables are tender, about 15-20 minutes.
4. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Divide and ladle the soup into 4 individual soup bowls. Garnish each serving with the sauteed sage leaves.
5. Enjoy immediately! Don't forget the Italian bread and pop in a Bocelli CD (Furtiva Lagrina on the Viaggio Italiano recording) while you're at it!

extra virgin olive oil, sage, garlic, fresh green peas, green beans, carrot, zucchini, celery, sweet potatoes, cannellini beans, vegetable broth, red pepper, salt, fresh ground black pepper

Taken from www.food.com/recipe/tuscan-vegetable-soup-with-fresh-sage-179106 (may not work)