Celebrate the season with bright blend of veggies for summer soup

Here’s a dinner to welcome the official start of summer. It’s a bright blend of summer zucchini, green beans and tomatoes. A little goat cheese mixed in at the end gives the soup a creamy texture. It’s a simple, vegetarian dinner that also tastes great the next day, so make extra if you like.

I use Roma tomatoes for the soup. They are firm and have more flesh and less juice than other types of tomatoes, giving the soup a thick, tomato texture. They are also called plum or Italian plum tomatoes.

Helpful Hints:

You can use any type of green vegetables. Use the recipe quantities as a guideline.

You can use cannellini beans instead of navy beans.

Countdown:

2. Prepare ingredients.

1. Make soup.

Shopping List:

To buy: 1 large zucchini, 1 package green beans, 2 Roma tomatoes, 1 bottle ground turmeric, 1 container reduced-sodium vegetable broth, 1 can reduced-sodium diced tomatoes, 1 can reduced-sodium navy beans and 1 small package plain goat cheese.

Staples: olive oil, onion, garlic, salt and black peppercorns.

SUMMER VEGETABLE SOUP

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 cup sliced onion

1 cup sliced zucchini

2 crushed garlic cloves

1 cup green beans, cut into 1-inch

pieces

1 cup sliced Roma tomatoes

2 cups reduced-sodium vegetable broth

1 cup canned reduced-sodium diced tomatoes

1/4 teaspoon ground turmeric

1 cup reduced-salt navy beans,

rinsed and drained

Salt and freshly ground black peppercorns

1/2 cup crumbled goat cheese

Heat oil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the onion and saute two minutes.

Add the zucchini and garlic and continue to saute two minutes. Add the green beans, Roma tomatoes, vegetable broth, canned diced tomatoes and turmeric.

Bring to a simmer and gently cook 15 minutes. Add the navy beans and continue to simmer 2 minutes. Add salt and pepper to taste. Divide between two large soup bowls and spindle with goat cheese.

Yield 2 servings.