Do You Know What you Need? + Creamy Sun-Dried Tomato Minestrone
You don't always have to know.
This creamy new take on minestrone is brimming with tender vegetables with a subtle sweetness from sun-dried tomatoes. It’s a one-pot meal that’s simple, soulful, and deeply nourishing.
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Hello my dears,
For the past month, we’ve been exploring the theme of nourishment—the foods, practices and rituals that sustain us physically, emotionally, and spiritually. But what if you have no freaking idea what you need or want?
In my live video with Alexis deBoschnek when we were talking about nourishment, she mentioned with heartfelt honesty that she’s in a season of life right now, coming off of the busyness of book tour, where she’s not sure what’s nourishing for her anymore.
This resonated so deeply. I’ve been there—we’ve all been there—in stages where life is a lot, whether it’s due to work, or kids, or illness, or family drama, or collective turmoil, where it feels like we’re dog paddling to stay afloat. It can be so hard to know what we need or even what we want.
Even in lighter seasons, when we’re floating more easily with life, it can still be difficult to recognize what foods, practices, or rituals truly fill our cup. I’m not talking about what we think we should do, or the dishes we think we should make, but the real stuff—the random, delicious, utterly personal moments that feel like oxygen for our bodies and souls.
But what if, instead of seeking nourishment—adding it to our to-do list or trying to control how it appears in our lives—we simply allowed nourishment to find us?
When the world feels like it’s spinning, or when I’m exhausted, or when my mind is on overdrive and I lose track of myself, I ask:
What do I need? Please show me.
Please show me.
In my experience, the answer won’t come raining down (as nice as that would be). Instead, it will sneak up on you quietly, softly padding in and snuggling up against your side. Suddenly you look down and there it is, right there with you—nourishment.
In other words, nourishment can find you—but you need to be aware enough to notice.
✨ Maybe it’s on a walk, watching the leaves flutter down, and suddenly your body unclenches and your eyes soften. Here it is.
✨ Or maybe it’s on the couch, laying down with a blanket, allowing your body to melt into the cushions. Here it is.
✨ Or it could be pouring a cup of coffee, watching the steam unfurl, holding the hot mug in your hands, and sipping slowly. Here it is.
✨ Or perhaps it’s in watching the cream swirl into the pot of stew, smelling the warmth of garlic and basil, anticipating the taste. It’s here.
Nourishment can find us in a million different ways (it’s unique to each of us and it will change daily), but here’s where things get really juicy: the more we notice when nourishment has arrived, the longer nourishment will stay, and the more easily it will find us.
In her book, Permission to Rest, Ashley Neese (who will be on the podcast this winter, stay tuned), calls this “Tracking Satisfaction,” or “Tracking Magic” (which I especially love). When we notice and track the moments that feel satisfying or nourishing—by saying it aloud or writing it down—we begin to understand what truly feeds us.
This gives us power. Knowing what we need and giving it to ourselves is how we show up as the brightest, most magnetic version of who we are, which feels more important than ever, as Meggan Watterson explores in this podcast episode.
But even more, it makes life sweeter. When we name those moments of satisfaction it expands the feeling. It’s like when I take a bite at dinner that hits every pleasure receptor in my body and I can’t help but call out, “perfect bite!,” even as my kids roll their eyes. Naming it makes it taste even better. It expands the moment—stretching it like a piece of taffy—and it fosters deeper gratitude.
So this week, my invitation for you is to track the satisfaction (or, for a bit more glitter, track the magic!). You don’t have to know what will nourish you in the days ahead. Just notice when satisfaction arrives—when you feel a flicker of spaciousness, contentment, connection, or pleasure. Even if it’s just for a second, name it. Say it to yourself. Declare it aloud. Whisper it to the sky.
HERE IT IS!
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The recipe
This cozy twist on minestrone is loaded with tender vegetables, creamy white beans, and sweet sun-dried tomatoes, with a parmesan rind adding deep umami to the broth. A handful of fresh greens and an optional swirl of cream bring brightness and a silky finish.
The recipe came about from a reader request for a stovetop vegetable soup—hi Olga! (Did you know paid subscribers can request recipes? Drop your ideas in the comments!) But in a way, this soup found me.
One night, I had some cooked beans to use up and an ancient jar of sun-dried tomatoes in the pantry. The recipe unfolded as I went, and it instantly became a family favorite—cozy, grounding, and deeply satisfying. It’s hearty enough to stand on its own as a one-pot dinner, or you can serve it with crusty bread or this cornbread for dunking. Here it is.
Below you’ll find:
A printable PDF of the recipe plus a text version
Recipe tips
A recipe video
6 more stovetop soups and stews to make this month
