Minestrone Soup-Variation for Soup Diet Basic Recipe

By nlhartman

Start with a delicious homemade vegetable soup base that will begin many delicious meals. Add beans and pasta for a memorable minestrone.

Ingredients

• ALL YOU CAN EAT SOUP:
• 2 cups All-You-Can-Eat Soup Diet Basic Recipe (recipe below)
• 1/2 cup drained and rinsed canned white kidney beans (cannellini)
• 1/2 cup whole wheat fusilli or rotini, cooked as label directs
• 2 tablespoon plus 1 additional tablespoon for serving freshly grated Parmesan or Romano cheese
• 1 tablespoon fresh basil, chopped
• 1 pound carrots, sliced
• 3 medium onions, chopped
• 4 stalks celery, chopped
• 2 large cloves garlic, minced
• 2 (15-ounce) cans whole tomatoes in juice
• 1/2 small head green cabbage, chopped
• 3/4 pounds green beans, sliced
• 1 can chicken broth
• 6 cups water
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 3 medium zucchini, quartered lengthwise and sliced
• 2 bags baby spinach leaves

Details

Servings 2
Preparation time 10mins
Cooking time 30mins
Adapted from goodhousekeeping.com

Preparation

Step 1

Prepare All-You-Can-Eat Soup Diet Basic Recipe:
Coat 12-quart stockpot (or 2 large saucepans) with nonstick cooking spray. Over medium-high heat, add carrots, onions, celery, and garlic; cook 8 minutes or until vegetables soften, stirring occasionally.

Add tomatoes with their liquid, breaking up tomatoes with side of spoon. Add cabbage, green beans, broth, water, salt and pepper. Heat to boiling over high heat, stirring occasionally.

Reduce heat to low. Cover and simmer 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Increase heat to high. Stir in zucchini and spinach and heat to boiling.

Reduce heat to low; cover and simmer 10 minutes or until all vegetables are tender. Set aside 2 cups basic soup for Minestrone. Reserve the rest for later use.

Minestrone:
To 2 cups Basic Soup, add beans.; Heat to boiling.

Stir in fusilli or rotini, cooked as label directs; heat through.

Stir in 2 tablespoons grated cheese and 1 tablespoon basil. Sprinkle with additional tablespoon cheese to serve.