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A healthy menopause

Minestrone

Serves 6

1.5litres of miso soup or vegetable stock

200g tomatoes, skinned and roughly chopped

175g new potatoes, sliced

175g spring cabbage, shredded finely

175g small carrots, sliced

175g courgettes, chopped

175g green beans cut into 1 cm pieces

50g fresh peas, shelled

4 tender celery sticks, finely sliced

2 leeks, thinly sliced

1 large onion, finely chopped

1 clove garlic, chopped

1 bay leaf

2 tablespoons olive oil

8 fresh basil leave sprigs

85g soup pasta, such as vermicelli

50g borlotti beans

50g dried cannellini beans

Sea salt and black pepper

Garlic croutons to serve

Soak the beans in water for a few hours than drain and rinse.

Heat the olive oil in a big saucepan, then add the onion, garlic and bay leaf and sauté for about 4 minutes. Add the carrots, celery and leeks and cook for 4 minutes. Add the drained beans and sauté for another 4 minutes. Add the courgettes, green beans and peas and sauté for another 4 minutes. Add the water, miso soup or vegetable stock with the tomatoes, cabbage and potatoes and bring to the boil. Cover and simmer gently for 90 minutes until the beans are tender. Season to taste. Add in the pasta and basil and cook for a further 15 minutes until the pasta is cooked. Serve with garlic croutons.