The Purist’s Garden Minestrone

Ingredients

• 2 tbsp Extra virgin olive oil (the good stuff)
• 3 Medium carrots, peeled and diced into precise 1/4-inch cubes
• 2 Sweet red peppers, cored and diced to match the carrots
• 3 Cloves garlic, smashed and minced fine
• 1 tbsp Salted Perfection Perfect Salt
• 4 cups Vegetable broth (Certified Gluten-Free)
• 1 can (14.5 oz) Diced tomatoes, undrained
• 1 cup Gluten-Free fusilli or penne (brown rice or chickpea base holds up best)
• 2 cups Fresh baby spinach, washed and dry

Instructions

1. Heat the olive oil in a heavy-bottomed pot over medium heat. We want a gentle shimmer, not smoke. Treat the oil with respect.
2. Add the carrots and red peppers. Sauté them with patience for about 8–10 minutes. We are coaxing the natural sugars out, not browning them. Add the garlic in the last minute so it releases its perfume without turning bitter.
3. Stir in the Salted Perfection Perfect Salt. Let the heat wake up the black pepper and garlic notes in the blend for 30 seconds. Smell that? That is the foundation.
4. Pour in the vegetable broth and the diced tomatoes with their juices. Bring this liquid gold to a gentle boil, then lower the heat and simmer for 10 minutes. The vegetables should be tender but still possess a distinct bite.
5. Stir in the gluten-free pasta. Keep the simmer gentle. Gluten-free pasta is temperamental. Cook according to the package time minus one minute. Test a piece—it should have a firm, al dente resistance.
6. Remove the pot from the heat completely. Immediately fold in the fresh spinach. The residual heat will wilt it in seconds, keeping it silky and bright rather than slimy. Serve immediately. DUNZO!