Vegetable and Pastina Soup

INGREDIENTS:

• 2 tablespoons vegetable margarine
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 bunch collard greens, thinly sliced
• 5 cubes parsley (fresh parsley chopped with some water and frozen in ice cube trays)
• 4 carrots, diced
• 1 parsnip, diced
• 4 celery ribs, sliced
• 1 - 28 ounce can crushed tomatoes
• 1 bay leaf
• 8 cups water
• 2 potatoes, diced
• 2 cubes basil (fresh basil chopped with some water and frozen in ice cube trays)
• 1 - 10 ounce package frozen corn
• 3/4 cup pastina

METHOD:

• Melt vegetable margarine in stock pot, add onion and garlic and saute a few minutes
• Add sliced collard greens and saute until wilted
• Add parsley, carrots, parsnips and celery; saute until heated through
• Add crushed tomatoes, bay leaf and water; bring to a boil and simmer 30 minutes
• Add potatoes, corn and basil; bring to a boil and simmer 20 minutes
• Add pastina, cover and cook 10 more minutes, stirring frequently