Minestrone is a thick soup of Italian origin that was traditionally made to use leftover veggies. This is why there is no “set” recipe for minestrone, and you can basically make it out of whatever veggies are at your disposal.

The Sausage Green Minestrone Recipe

This particular version of the Italian meatball soup is perfect when looking for a quick and hearty supper. There is nothing like a warm minestrone that can fit the menu on a gray fall/winter day. Here’s how this green Minestrone recipe goes, but feel free to change any of the ingredients; it’s still a guaranteed success for deliciousness.

Ingredients

– 4 pork sausages (a bit more than half a pound) – 1 tbsp. olive oil – 1 onion, finely chopped – 2 celery sticks, finely chopped – 1 fennel bulb, chopped – 1 cup chicken stock – 6 oz macaroni pasta – 2.5 oz spinach – 7 oz peas – large handful parsley, roughly chopped – freshly grated Parmesan, to serve

Making the Sausage Green Soup

Step 1: Discard the sausages from their skins (just squeeze them out from one side) and shape the meat into walnut-sized balls. Pick a large pot (preferably a deep frying pan), and heat the oil over medium-high heat. As soon as the oil heats, add the sausage balls and fry until golden brown but not completely cooked. Pick the mini balls and set aside, leaving any oil left behind.

Step 2: To the same pot, add the onions, celery, and fennel for about seven minutes until softened. Then, add the stock and bring it to a boil. Add the pasta and cook for five minutes, then return the sausage balls and cook for an additional five minutes.

Pro tip: Check out your pasta’s cooking recommendations. Usually, they read to cook for eight to ten minutes. However, if you’re using fresh pasta, that cooks for 2-3 minutes; add the meatballs first and then the pasta.

Step 3: Add spinach, peas, and parsley. Season to taste and ladle into four bowls. To finish up, sprinkle Parmesan and fennel fronds. Enjoy!

7 of the Presumed Food and Drink Trends for the Year 2021

By Penny King –

Food is considered to be the way to one’s heart. People don’t just eat with their mouths, but they also eat with their eyes. They want to stay trendy, and who knew that food could be trendy? However, there have been quite a few “food trends” over the past decades, and they aren’t stopping now. Now people are predicting what food and drinks will be popular in 2021. These include convenient coffee options, brain food, and more.

WGSN Announces 2021 Food Trends

WGSN, which is a global authority when it comes to forecasting trends for consumers, has announced its predictions for the trendiest foods and drinks in 2021. They help brands worldwide create products at the right time to enable customers to create a better future. They cover consumer insights, beauty, fashion, lifestyle, interiors, data analytics, food, and drink forecasting, as well as expert advisory.

The trends they forecasted for 2021 tell people what to expect in terms of plant-based innovation, functional ingredients, convenient drinking, and comfort food. The changes in the current trends are fueled by the pandemic, which has affected the way consumers shop, eat, and even gather around food.

The Director of Food & Drink at WGSN, Kara Nielsen, said that they used a consumer-first approach when analyzing and forecasting the trends of food makers while also focusing on informing strategic and inspiring new product design. She recommends that their findings be used by food brands now to have future success.

Here’s what WGSN has predicted will be trending in 2021 in terms of food and drink.

1. Brain Food

For most people, 2020 has made it hard for them to focus. Brands see that, and they’ll likely start to focus on the benefits L-Theanine can have on mental clarity. L-Theanine is an amino acid that helps us think clearly.

2. Burnt Basque Cheesecake

This popular and Instagrammable dessert will likely move from the social media platform as comfort food and into our freezers for an everyday treat. The creamy center and the charred top is one that many can’t resist.

3. Canned Everything

Canned wine, cocktails, and hard beverages will be one of the trends in 2021. There will be a lot of innovation when it comes to canned goods, especially since it’s also a sustainable move.

4. Coffee Convenience

Staying home and drinking coffee is causing us to look for different ways to have our coffee. This means that new ways will be created like single-serve bags or edible coffee snacks.

5. Craveable Vegan

Being vegan will be tastier than ever. Things like vegan tacos, indulgent snacks, soul food, and more will be created using plant-based ingredients and in some of our favorite flavors.

6. Crazy for Cacao:

Chocolate lovers will enjoy this the most as there will be new products created from cacao pods.

7. Sleepy Time Eats:

To get a good night’s rest, you might need to turn to a specific type of food and drink. These new sleepy time eats will be made from natural botanicals, fruit, along with other nutritious ingredients that can help you get a good night’s sleep.