Vegetable Minestrone Soup

Marjorie Druker (also known as "The Soup Lady") puts no shortage of love into this extraordinary showcase of vegetables and legumes. You name it, this minestrone has it: cabbage, a myriad of legumes, tomatoes, green beans, zucchini, summer squash, spinach and herbs -- whew! A delicious way to incorporate vegetables into your kids' diets. Marjorie is careful to simmer the vegetables in stages to maximize flavor and maintain perfect textures. Before scooping and serving, Marjorie adds some ditalini pasta to the bottom of each bowl. Why does she cook the pasta separately? To avoid it from overcooking and becoming mushy inside the soup. Marjorie never misses a beat!