By Ann Lillygreen, volunteer at the Harvest vegetable garden in Preston Park

Well, it's Monday – when I spend the afternoon in the demonstration garden in Preston Park, early evening at my Pilates class and in between, have time to make minestrone using some of the vegetables harvested from the garden.

This week, after a sunny afternoon in the garden weeding, watering and tidying, I've brought home some kale, perpetual spinach and the very last of the beans. They can all go in the minestrone along with the rest of the ingredients.  This is how I make minestrone, based on a recipe from a book called, “A year in Tuscany” but adapted according to what's available.

First I sauté an onion, a couple of sticks of celery and a carrot or two, all chopped small, for about 10 minutes in olive oil.  Then I add a tin of cannelini beans and some chopped potato and give them a couple of minutes stirred around in the oil.  After that it's time to add a tin of chopped tomatoes, some small pasta, and whatever green vegetables are available.  Today it was the veg from the garden and half a courgette languishing in the veg basket. (The recipe in the book uses cabbage but I've tried all sorts over time, leeks being one of my favourites.)

I then add some stock (Marigold) to cover the vegetables and leave it to simmer for about 40 minutes.  And then it's off to Pilates with the soup ready when I get back.  It just needs a few drops of olive oil and some grated Parmesan to finish it off.