Hearty Vegetarian Minestrone

• 2 tablespoons olive oil, extra-virgin
• 6 each carrots sliced on the bias
• 4 stalks celery diced
• 2 medium yellow onion diced
• 15 ounces chickpeas (garbanzo beans) drained
• 30 ounces kidney beans, canned drained
• 56 ounces tomatoes, canned with juice diced
• 4 cloves garlic minced
• 8 cups vegetable stock
• 4 cups water
• 4 tablespoons italian parsley chopped
• 3 tablespoons basil dried
• 1 tablespoon oregano dried
• 1/2 teaspoon sage dried
• 4 whole bay leaves
• 1 pound pasta shells brown rice or whole wheat
• 15 ounces green peas frozen
• 1 x parmesan rind to add to stock, optional
• 1 x salt to taste
• 1 x black pepper to taste

1. Heat the olive oil in a large stock pot over medium heat.
2. Add the garlic, onion, celery and carrots.
3. Cook stirring frequently until the vegetables are beginning to soften for about 10 minutes.
4. Do not brown.
5. Add tomatoes, beans, chick peas vegetable stock and water.
6. Add the parmesan rind if using.
7. Raise heat to high and bring to a boil.
8. Turn heat to low to maintain a steady simmer.
9. Add the bay leaves, basil, oregano, sage and Italian parsley.
10. Cover and let simmer slowly for 1 to 2 hours.
11. Meanwhile prepare the brown rice pasta shells according to package directions.
12. Drain and rinse with cold water to stop the cooking.
13. Just before the soup is finished add the frozen green peas and pasta.
14. Taste and adjust seasoning adding salt and pepper as desired.
15. Check how much salt your canned tomatoes have you may not need to add much salt at all, if any.

olive oil, carrots, stalks celery, onion, chickpeas, kidney beans, tomatoes, garlic, vegetable stock, water, italian parsley, basil, oregano, sage, bay leaves, pasta shells brown rice, green peas, parmesan rind, salt, black pepper

Taken from recipeland.com/recipe/v/hearty-vegetarian-minestrone-50549 (may not work)