A Healthy Meal!

For my birthday I got Gordon Ramsay's Healthy Appetite cookbook. Tonight we had Cranberry bean minestone. Actually I used kidney beans. Here is the recipe
Serves 4
2 tbsp olive oil
2 onions, peeled and chopped
2 medium carrots, peeled and chopped
1 celery stalk, trimmed and chopped
sea salt and pepper
1 bay leaf
2 3/4 oz smoked back (Canadian) bacon, trimmed of fat and chopped
2 tbsp tomato paste
2 - 14oz cans cranberry beans, rinsed and drained
5 oz cherry tomatoes
2 1/2 to 3 1/2 cups chicken broth
2 3/4 oz spaghetti, broken into small pieces
Large handful of basil, finely shredded
Parmesan
Heat the olive oil in a large pan and add the onions, carrots, celery, and some seasoning. Stir frequently over medium high heat for 6 to 8 minutes until the vegetables are begin to soften. Add the thyme, bay leaf and bacon. Increase the heat slightly and cook, stirring for another 2 minutes. Stir in the tomato paste and cook for another minute.
Add the beans and cherry tomatoes, then pour in the chicken stock or water to cover. Bring to a gentle simmer. Add the spaghetti and cook for 10 minutes. Taste and adjust the seasoning.
To serve, ladle into warm soup bowls and sprinkle over the shredded basil. Drizzle with olive oils and grated cheese. Serve with chunks of rustic country bread.

I used fusilli instead of spaghetti. It turns out I did have a package of fusilli in the cabinet, didn't see it for the Saturday night's dinner!