This soup is pure Sicilian Italian with its lycopene loaded tomatoes, fiber, and protein rich cannellini beans, and yummy fennel seasoning. This nutrient dense soup is easy to prepare and ready in 30 minutes.

1 large sweet onion, finely chopped
1 garlic clove, minced
1 celery stalk, finely chopped
1 carrot, thinly sliced
2 T nutritional yeast
1 1/2 cps chopped kale, spinach or Swiss chard
1 (15 oz.) can diced tomatoes
1 (15 oz.) can cannellini beans
6 cps vegetable stock
2 T finely chopped fresh parsley
1 tsp fresh oregano or 1/2 tsp dried oregano
1 T ground fennel seeds
salt and pepper taste
A few slices of whole grain Italian bread.
Vegan parmesan.

For folks concerned about contaminants in canned products, an alternative is to buy tomatoes in aseptic packaging. These can be found in grocery stores right next to canned tomatoes.

In a little water or veggie broth, saute the onion, celery and carrots for about 5 minutes until veggies are softened. Then add the garlic and cook for 30 seconds. Simply add the tomatoes, the veggie stock and all the seasonings. Bring soup to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for 30 minutes.

Finally, add the cannellini beans and simmer for another 5-7 minutes.

To serve, place a slice of hearty, healthy Artisan whole grain bread (just like we, Italians, do) in the bottom of your soup bowl, and ladle the soup over the top. Sprinkle with a bit of vegan cheese.

Note: I use fennel in many of my Italian dishes. I ground a huge amount of seeds and then store them in airtight container.