Minestrone Soup

Nothing says warmth and comfort more than a steaming bowl of delicious soup. Soup is easy to make, nutritious and inexpensive. One soup that is sure to be a real crowd-pleaser is Minestrone. Minestrone is an Italian soup made with seasonal vegetables. It is one of the most versatile soups since you can usually make it out of whatever you have on hand. I’m offering a quicker version of this popular soup by using frozen vegetables. Frozen produce is less expensive and a great substitution when fresh produce is scarce. As an added bonus, frozen produce can even be healthier since freezing slows the loss of nutrients.

This soup not only tastes great but is also a great way to get your daily serving of vegetables. So go ahead and make a pot of this yummy soup when you need a quick warm up on a chilly day.

 

Minestrone

25 minutes prep. Serves 8.

3 14-ounce cans of vegetable broth 2 14.5-ounce cans of stewed tomatoes, undrained 1 15-ounce can cannellini beans, rinsed and drained 1 15-ounce can garbanzo beans, rinsed and drained 1 6-ounce can of tomato paste 2 tsp of dried Italian seasoning 2 cups frozen mixed vegetables 2 cups fresh bagged spinach, chopped 2 cups cooked ditalini (small tube) pasta

Preparation:

In a large pot combine broth, stewed tomatoes, cannellini beans, garbanzo beans, tomato paste and Italian seasoning. Bring to a boil and then add frozen vegetables. Reduce heat to medium and cover. Simmer for about 10-12 minutes or until vegetables are tender. Stir in fresh spinach and pasta. Cook until heated through.

Serve with grated parmesan cheese on top and a piece of warm, crusty bread.

 

Nutritional Information per Serving
Calories 219	Carb 41 g
Total fat 2g (0g sat. fat)	Fiber 8g
Cholesterol 2mg	Protein 12g
Sodium 1,081 mg