I call this minestra fantasia because I used an unusual combination of ingredients. Asparagus, broccoli, red kidney beans and the classical soffritto. A dash of tomato paste gave the dish color and added flavor. All in all a satisfying dish for this time of year. 

 A typical Sunday afternoon in October in Central Park, NYC,

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A simple dish. Thinly sliced top round in a light pomodorini sauce with basil and garlic. Accompanied by grilled asparagus spears. What's not to like. 

 The colors of the season

 I found really fantastic Swiss chard at a farmers market so I prepared with cannellini and some fresh hot pepper. Very nice and healthy. 

 I always get a kick out of this image shot in the fall of 1957 during my first trip to Venice. The only thing I knew was that Kodachrome was the slide film to use. Time really flies.

 Another simple, easy, fast and healthy dish. Italian farfalle pasta -butterlies pasta - with a local broccolo - single for broccoli that in Italian is the plural -, a clove of garlic and good olive oil. That is all. The pasta and broccolo were cooked together.