Minestrone Soup with Elbow Macaroni

When I as a child I never wanted to eat veggies, NEVER! But for some reason a good bowl of Minestrone soup always seemed to soothe my soul.  The days of the can of Campbell's Minestrone Soup have long passed for me and now I love exploring new and creative ways to make this delicious (and nutritious) soup.  This is my latest version and I have enjoyed adding in the elbow macaroni as well as the splash of balsamic vinegar.  This recipe is a staple, with or without infusing with cannabis.  
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Serves 6
Total Time: 30 min. 

Nutritional Information:
It's delicious! 
                
 Cannabis Infusion: ​
  • My preferred method for this recipe would be to add some canna-oil to my broth and mix in any other ingredients that have liquid, such as the diced tomatoes and green chilis with juices
  • You can also add in a dab of your pre-made canna-butter to the potency you prefer.  Adding a dollop of butter doesn't change the taste if you only add in a tablespoon or two
The Stuff You'll Need:  ​
  • 1 pound lean ground beef (since I don't eat meat I use Impossible Burger) 
  • 1/2 red bell pepper chopped
  • 2 (10 fluid ounce) cans Ro-tel diced tomatoes & green chilies with juices
  • 4 cups broth (your preference, I use vegetable broth) 
  • 1 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1 teaspoon onion powder
  • 1 teaspoon ground cumin
  • 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
  • 1/2 tablespoon chili powder
  • 1 (12 fluid ounce) can corn drained
  • 1 (15 fluid ounce) can black beans drained & rinsed
  • 1 (8 ounce) block of cream cheese (I used Philly)
  • Salt & pepper to taste
  • Toppings (optional): grated cheddar, avocado, cilantro, tortilla strips, etc.
Pay Attention to the Directions:​
  1. Take the cream cheese out of the fridge to let it soften up.
  2. Add the ground beef (Impossible Burger) to a large soup pot over medium-high heat. Brown the beef and drain the fat.
  3. Add all the ingredients except for the cream cheese and salt & pepper.
  4. Increase the heat to high and bring the soup to a boil. Turn down the heat so it's simmering gently for 8 minutes. While the soup cooks, prep your toppings.
  • Cut the cream cheese into smaller pieces and add it to the soup. Let it melt in (you may have to stir it a fair bit until it's fully dissolved). Season the soup with salt & pepper and serve with toppings as desired.


    Recipe Notes: 
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    You can use beef broth instead of chicken broth if you don't mind the soup being a darker color. If you have any concerns with salt, use low-salt broth. I prefer to use vegetable broth

    If you want to make this soup spicy, add 1/2 teaspoon of cayenne pepper.

    If you're not using Rotel diced tomatoes, you can use regular ones, but I suggest adding a can or two of diced green chilies as well (the 4 oz. size ones) since it really makes a difference in the way the soup tastes.