Ok, I admit it. I can't take the heat! I have lived in San Francisco for the past 13 years until this past January when I returned to my hometown of Hollister and the hot days of summer I have been dreading since I arrived came early. Please note, it's only mid-Spring!

So yesterday I welcomed the cold snap that rested over town, the gloom brought on by the clouds and the chilly breeze that made me homesick for the foggy city up North.

On my way home from work on the farm, a bag filled with an array of just-harvested Spring veggies by my side, I concocted a recipe in my head for a hearty soup much like the kind I would create on a foggy San Francisco summer day when the tomato harvest is just beginning. It would have an Italian flair with a dash of herbes de provence for flavor.

As soon as I got home I started chopping! I started with one yellow onion, finely diced and tossed in a large stock pot with a coating of olive oil. After the onions became translucent I tossed in a bit of diced broccoli, carrots, celery and cheddar cauliflower. After letting these saute for a few minutes, I then added one jar of Happy Girl Kitchen's crushed heirloom tomatoes, which are the next best substitute to fresh tomatoes. I also added about 6 cups of Imagine's No-Chicken broth (the best tasting vegetarian broth you can find, I think), a jar of Happy Girl Kitchen's Tomato Juice, salt, pepper, herbes de provence, and a couple of hunks of parmesan cheese rind to make the base of the soup rich with flavor. I let the soup come to a boil and then turned it down to medium heat and let it simmer for 10 minutes.

Meanwhile, I chopped zucchini, shredded cabbage, and diced green bell pepper. I tossed them in the pot along with 1/3 cup of orzo and one can of drained and rinsed white canellini beans. After 10 more minutes of cooking, the soup was ready to eat!

When serving, I topped each bowl with a bit of fresh basil thinly sliced. We ate this with hunks of bread toasted in the oven. Delicious!