Now that we are in the thick of summer, we are outside ALL THE TIME. Seriously, we don’t come in every evening until 5:30, which makes dinner prep almost impossible: by the time we are in, the kids are hungry but dinner hasn’t even been started!

Whenever possible, I make dinner in the early afternoon. Something simple that can sit on the stove until it needs to be re-heated in a few hours. This soup came together the other day when I had no idea what to make. It turned out really good, and the leftovers made for an excellent (and super healthy!) lunch the next day.

Summer Vegetable Soup

olive oil

1 small yellow onion, diced

4 cloves garlic, chopped

crushed red pepper flakes

6 carrots, peeled and chopped

2 zucchini, diced

1 28 oz can diced tomatoes

4 cups chicken stock

1 can cannellini beans, drained and rinsed

a few good handfuls of baby spinach leaves

a bunch of basil

In a large pot, warm the olive oil over medium heat. Add in onions and cook until softened, a few minutes. Toss in the garlic and red pepper flakes and stir until fragrant. Add carrots and cook for  5-7 minutes. Add zucchini, diced tomatoes, beans, broth and 1-2 cups of water. Bring to a simmer and cook until vegetables are tender. Add spinach and basil. Serve.