Mediterranean vegetable soup

Ingredients for 4 servings:

• 3 m.-large carrot(s)
• 1 m.-large zucchini
• 2 bell peppers, red or yellow
• 2 onions
• 2 cloves garlic
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1 tbsp tomato paste
• 1 liter vegetable broth
• 500 g tomatoes, chopped (can)
• 1 small can of white beans (large beans)
• 1 tbsp Italian herbs
• e.g. salt and pepper
• some agave syrup
• 1 organic lemon(s), grated peel

Instructions

Working time approx. 30 minutes; Cooking/baking time approx. 25 minutes; Total time approx. 55 minutes

simple, vegetarian

Prepare a sufficiently large soup pot. Prepare the vegetables: Peel the carrots and cut into small cubes. Wash, dry, and cut the zucchini into sticks (removing the ends first). Wash, trim, and dice the bell peppers. Peel the onions and garlic, and also dice them finely. Heat the olive oil in a pot. First, sauté the zucchini for a few minutes. Then add the onions and garlic. Add the tomato paste and sauté. Then add the vegetable stock to the pot. Stir and bring to a boil briefly. Add the chopped tomatoes, carrots, and bell peppers. Stir again, bring to a boil, and then simmer over low heat for about 10 minutes. In the meantime, place the beans in a sieve and rinse with cold water. Grate the zest from the well-washed organic lemon using a medium-sized grater. Once the cooking time is complete, add the beans and Italian herbs to the soup and simmer for another 5 minutes. Season the soup to taste with salt, pepper, lemon zest, and a little agave syrup (or sugar). Let the soup simmer for a few more minutes and then serve.