Minestrone Soup, Clean Style

Here is a classic soup with a clean eating spin! The recipe didn’t call for chicken but I cooked some chicken breast and cut it up into chunks and threw it in the soup for a complete meal.

Ingredients:

• 1 large onion, diced
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 4 garlic cloves, minced
• 2 ribs celery diced (1/2 cup)
• 1 large carrot, peeled and diced
• 1 medium zucchini (about 8 oz), diced
• 1 tsp dried oregano
• 1 tsp dried basil
• 1tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
• 6 cups low-sodium vegetable broth or low sodium chicken broth (48oz)
• 1 28 oz can no salt added diced tomatoes
• 1 15 oz can no salt added crushed tomatoes
• 1 15 oz can low sodium cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
• 1/2 cup whole grain elbow pasta
• 1/3 cup finely shredded Parmesan cheese
• 2 tbsp fresh chopped parsley leaves

Instructions:

• In a large soup pot over medium-high heat cook and stir onion in hot oil 3 minutes or until translucent.  Add garlic; cook for 30 seconds.  Add celery and carrot. Cook and stir 5 minutes, until vegetables begin to soften.  Add zucchini, oregano, basil, salt, and pepper.  Cook for 2 minutes, stirring frequently.
• Add the broth and the diced and crushed tomatoes.  Bring to boiling.  Reduce heat to medium low.  Simmer uncovered for 10 minutes.  Add the beans and pasta.  Cook 10 to 15 minutes more until pasta and vegetables are tender.  Top servings with cheese and parsely.  Makes 6 servings.

Each Serving:  236 calories, 7 g fat, 2 mg chol, 719 mg sodium, 36 g carb, 9 g fiber, 10 g protein.