03 March 2024 , 10:53
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A cheap and tasty meal that's perfect on dreary days could be the secret to living a long, prosperous life.
There are only five Blue Zones in the world - whose residents are known for living for more than 100 years due to their healthy diet and relaxed lifestyle. These are Ikaria in Greece, Okinawa in Japan, the Nicoya Peninsula in Costa Rica, Loma Linda in California, and the entire province of Ogliastra in Sardinia, Italy.
Scientists have credited the impressive ages of these communities due to their predominantly plant-based diet. According to Very Well Health: "The daily food intake of people living in Blue Zones is about 95 per cent vegetables, fruits, grains, and legumes. They do not eat much meat, dairy, sugary foods or drinks, and processed food."
Those living in Blue Zones tend to follow a mainly plant-based diet (Stock photo) (Getty Images)Dan Buettner is the author of The Blue Zones series, and says minestrone is a 'bountiful dish that is eaten every day for lunch by some of the world's longest-lived families in Sardinia'. The Italian soup has many variations and has no set recipe, but tends to contain a slew of vegetables and pasta.
So, if you want to kick around for a little bit longer, check out this delicious and hearty recipe by celebrity chef Jamie Oliver which only takes 30 minutes to make. This minestrone is suitable for vegans unless you douse your crusty bread in Lurpak butter...
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Jamie Oliver's minestrone recipe
Ingredients (Serves 8)
- Plum tomatoes (400g)
- Cannellini or butter beans (800g)
- Dried pasta (100g)
- 2 small onions
- 2 carrots
- 2 celery sticks
- 2 fresh bay leaves
- 2 large handful of seasonal greens (savoy cabbage, kale etc)
- 1 clove of garlic
- 1 vegetable stock cube
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- Extra virgin olive oil
- Parmesan cheese, to serve
- Crusty bread, to serve
- Salt and pepper to season
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Method
- Peel and finely chop the onions and garlic. Then, heat one tablespoon of olive oil on medium-high heat in a large casserole pan. Add the garlic, bay leaves and onions.
- Trim and cut the carrots and celery into 1 cm pieces, adding to the pan as you go. Remove any tough stalks from your greens, finely chop them and add them to the pan.
- Cook for 10-15 minutes, stirring regularly. The veggies should soften and start to caramelise.
- Crumble in the stock cube and pour in the tomatoes, breaking them up with the back of a spoon. Then add one tin's worth of water.
- Pour in the beans and season with a pinch of sea salt and black pepper
- Shred the remaining greens and sprinkle them into the pan. Top the dish up with 600ml of boiling water and then add the pasta. Cover and let the dish simmer for 10-15 minutes or until the pasta is just cooked.
- Season with more salt and pepper if needed and serve with a generous grating of parmesan and a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil - as well as a thick wedge of crusty bread.
Et voila! A nutritious soup that you can whip up in no time. If you've run out of pasta, you can easily swap it for rice or even large hunks of bread.