Minestrone Soup

Ingredients

• 3 Tbsp olive oil
• 1 med. yellow onion, chopped
• 2 small carrots, diced
• 2 ribs celery, chopped
• 2 small zucchini, cubed
• 2 cups cooked red kidney beans, half of the beans mashed
• 1 28 oz can whole tomatoes, mashed, with their juice
• 2 1/2 cups chicken broth
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 bay leaf
• black pepper to taste
• parsley and oregano to taste
• 1/3 to 1/2 cup whole wheat elbow macaroni

Directions

1. In a large skillet, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add onion carrots, celery, zucchini and cook, stirring often, until just softened about 5 minutes.
2. Transfer to slow cooker and add kidney beans, tomatoes and juices, broth, salt, bay leaf, pepper, parsley, and oregano. Add water to come about 1 inch above the vegetables. Cover and cook for 7-8 hours on low.
3. Stir in pasta, cover and cook on high for 30 minutes.
4. Add Parmesan cheese when serving.

This is a great soup for throwing in whatever you have on hand (any veggies, greens, beans, extra tomato paste). So use this as a base and alter it however you wish. If you don’t want to use a slow cooker, you can start the veggies in the skillet as directed, then add it to a pot on the stove with everything else & simmer away.