Recipe

Green Minestrone with Homemade Crackers

Servings: 4 to 6 

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 15 minutes 

Ingredients:

Minestrone Soup:

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1-1/2 cups yellow onion, diced 
• 1 cup celery, diced 
• 1 tablespoon garlic, minced
• 2-1/2 cups broccoli, chopped
• 2 cups cabbage, sliced
• 2 cups zucchini, diced
• 1-1/2 cups kale, stems removed and sliced 
• 1 teaspoon dried thyme
• 1 teaspoon dried rosemary
• 1 teaspoon sea kosher salt
• 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1 15-oz. can cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
• 6 cups low-sodium chicken stock (or vegetable stock)
• 1 ½ cup Farro, cooked 
• 1 cup unsweetened almond milk

Homemade Crackers:

• 1 cup almond flour
• 1/2 cup finely ground oats
• 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
• 1 teaspoon dried rosemary (or 1 tablespoon fresh rosemary, finely chopped)
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
• 1/4 cup cold unsalted butter, cut into small cubes
• 2-4 tablespoons ice water
• 1/4 cup finely chopped nuts (such as almonds, walnuts, or pecans)

Instructions:

Minestrone Soup:

1. Heat the oil in a heavy-bottomed pot until it shimmers. Add the onion, celery, and garlic, and sautė for 3 to 4 minutes.
2. Add the broccoli and cabbage, and cook for another 3 to 4 minutes.
3. Add the zucchini, kale, thyme, rosemary, kosher salt and pepper, and sautė for 2 minutes.
4. Add the cannellini beans and chicken (or vegetable) broth. Bring the soup to a simmer. 
5. Stir in the farro and almond milk and serve.

Homemade Crackers:

1. In a food processor, combine the almond flour, finely ground oats, grated Parmesan cheese, dried rosemary, salt, and black pepper. Pulse a few times to mix the dry ingredients.
2. Add the cold butter cubes to the food processor and pulse until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs.
3. While the food processor is running, slowly drizzle in the ice water, one tablespoon at a time, until the dough starts to come together. You may need to use anywhere from 2 to 4 tablespoons of ice water. Stop the processor as soon as the dough forms a ball.
4. Turn the dough out onto a floured surface and knead it a few times to bring it together into a smooth ball. Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and refrigerate it for at least 30 minutes to firm up.
5. Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C) and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
6. Roll out the chilled dough on a floured surface to your desired thickness (usually about 1/8 inch or 3mm thick).
7. Sprinkle the finely chopped nuts onto the rolled-out dough and gently press them in, so they adhere to the dough.
8. Use a knife or a cookie cutter to cut the dough into your desired cracker shapes. You can go with squares, rectangles, or even use cookie cutters for fun shapes.
9. Place the cut crackers onto the prepared baking sheet, leaving a little space between each one.
10. Optionally, you can sprinkle a little extra grated Parmesan cheese and a pinch of dried rosemary on top of each cracker for added flavor.
11. Bake the crackers in the preheated oven for about 12-15 minutes or until they turn golden brown and crisp.
12. Remove the crackers from the oven and let them cool on a wire rack. They will continue to crisp up as they cool.
13. Once completely cooled, store your homemade Parmesan and rosemary crackers with nuts in an airtight container.