Minestrone Soup, Comfort in a Bowl

Ingredients

• 3 medium carrots
• 3 stalks celery
• 2 medium onions
• 1 large potato (sometimes I use a sweet potato)
• 1/4 pound (115g) green beans
• 2 medium zucchinis
• 1/2 pound (225g) green cabbage
• 3 medium cloves garlic chopped
• 1/4 cup olive oil (60ml)
• 3 tablespoons (45ml) unsalted butter
• 3 1/2 cups (825ml) vegetable, beef, or chicken broth
• 1 1/2 cups (355ml) water
• 4 – 5 large tomatoes with skin and seeds removed, or 1 can (28 ounces or 790g) Italian plum tomatoes or San Marzano whole tomatoes
• 1/2 teaspoon (2ml) each salt, and dried basil, crumbled – If substituting dried herbs for fresh herbs use 1/2 tablespoons.
• 1/4 teaspoon (1ml) each pepper and rosemary, crumbled (or substitute one small fresh sprig of rosemary for dried)
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 can (1 pound or 450g) cannellini beans or chickpeas