My Favorite Soup - Minestrone

Yesterday after work, I decided I would make my husband and I's favorite soup - Minestrone.  Especially since it's been getting colder here and I felt like it was a soup kind-of day.  (By cold I of course mean it got down in the 50's at night - being a Florida girl who recently relocated to Oregon, when i say it's cold, take that term lightly)

Anyway, the hubs calls it Lydia's Soup.. because he calls everything I make "Lydia's" something... Super creative, i know :)  But in all honesty, it's not my recipe.  I stole this one from Jamie Oliver.  Here is the original link.  This soup is soooo good and only 240 calories a serving (makes 8), however it really serves like 6, not 8.

Ingredients Include (with my own modifications):
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 strips thick bacon, finely chopped
3 cloves garlic, peeled and chopped - I like my garlic
1 red onion, peeled and finely chopped - my husband refuses to eat onions
2 carrots, chopped
2 sticks celery, chopped
1 zucchini, chopped
1 small leek, washed and chopped
½ teaspoon dried oregano
1 bay leaf
1 1/2 cups chopped plum tomatoes
1 large potato, scrubbed and diced  Missed this item on my grocery list, made it without this time
1 x 15.5 ounce can garbanzo, drained and rinsed
4 cups low-sodium vegetable broth
Large handful curly kale, stalks removed, chopped
1 cup mixed pasta - I like the twists and whole wheat
sea salt - to your taste
1 large pinch freshly ground black pepper
5 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese; optional

Preparation:

• Heat a large pot on medium heat with the olive oil.  Throw in the bacon and fry it until it turns brown.  This step is important, because if you add the other ingredients before the bacon is good and brown, it will get soggy in your soup!
• Then add the garlic, onion (if you want), carrots, celery, zucchini, leeks, oregano, and bay leaf and cook slowly for 15 minutes.  Stir it now and then until the vegetables have softened.   The first time i used leeks, was with this recipe so if you need some instruction on how to clean/cut/prepare them, here is a YouTube video i watched:  VIDEO
• Okay, next add the tomatoes, potato, chick peas, and veggie broth.  Cover with a lid, bring to a slow boil.  Simmer for 30 minutes then check to see if your potato is soft.  Again, i forgot to buy a potato, so i just didn't use it, and the soup still came out great!
• After that add the kale and pasta, and cook for 10 more minutes, until the pasta is cooked.   I also use more Kale then instructed, it's up to you!
• If the soup looks too thick after the pasta is cooked, you can add more water or broth to thin it out.
• Finish by seasoning with a little salt and black pepper and don't forget to remove the bay leaf - no one wants to eat that!
• Also, I always add a little Parmesan cheese on the top when serving.

That's it -  This soup is great for lunch leftovers the next day too!