Meatless Mondays: Planning Ahead!

I'm trying to get back to my regular Meatless Mondays posts, but I keep noticing it's Monday evening and I've forgotten to post.  Again.  So this week I'm planning ahead and offering you my Meatless Monday idea far enough ahead of time that you could actually make it.  On Monday, no less!

I know we're heading towards summer, but this last week in NorCal offered a little break in the warmer temperatures we were having.  We had a breeze on several evenings, and soup actually seemed like appropriate dinner fare.  Truthfully, I find that soup isn't such a terrible warm-weather supper because it's so light and easy on the tummy.  (And waistline!)  

I love this recipe because it's so adaptable.  The essential elements are the onion, mushrooms, broth, and tortellini.  When the cupboards are bare, you could throw together only the essential items for a simpler version.  You could fancy it up with additional colorful veggies and extra herbs.  Or, you could streamline it for a busy weeknight by using store-bought diced onions and some frozen veggies rather than chopping your own.  As you can see, the version I made last week was fairly chunky and loaded with veggies.  We ate it with cheese bread and salad, and I made a double batch so that I can freeze some for later!

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Mushroom Tortellini Soup
Serves 4-6
Cook time: about 45 minutes

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 teaspoon dried thyme
• 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
• 3 cloves of garlic
• 1 small onion, chopped small
• 1/2  red bell pepper, chopped small
• 2 carrots, peeled and chopped small  (or you can substitute other veggies, even frozen veggies, for the carrots and bell pepper - use about 1 1/2 cups)
• 2 medium portabello mushrooms,chopped into cubes
• 1/4 cup red wine (optional)
• 1-14 oz can diced tomatoes, undrained
• 1-14 oz can white kidney beans (or cannelini beans), drained and rinsed
• 1 cup of water
• 1 quart vegetable stock
• 1-9 oz package fresh or frozen tortellini (filled with cheese, muchroom, or other complimentary filling)
• Garnishes of your choosing, such as parmesan cheese, fresh herbs, sour cream, or garlic croutons.

Heat the oil in a dutch oven over medium heat.  Add the thyme, red pepper flakes, and garlic, then saute for 1 minute.  Add the onion, red bell peppers, and carrots, then saute until they are beginning to soften.  (5-8 minutes)  Add the portabello mushrooms, and season with salt and pepper to taste.  Let the veggies saute another 5-8 minutes until the mushrooms have released some of their juices and are starting to brown.

Use the win to de-glaze the bottom of the dutch oven.  Add the canned tomatoes, beans, water, and stock.  Bring the soup to a boil, then simmer for about 8 minutes.  Add the tortellini, and cook according to the package directions.  (Fresh takes approximately 4-7 minutes, frozen takes approximately 6-9 minutes.)  Adjust salt and pepper to taste.  Garnish and serve.