Italian Vegetable Soup

Soup! The best comfort food around on a cold winter day or night. This minestrone-style soup is hearty, healthy and satisfying, loaded with veggies and pasta, and makes a delicious one-pot meal.

This recipe is from Holly Clegg's Too Hot in the Kitchen: Secrets To Sizzle At Any Age cookbook.

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1/2 cup coarsely chopped green pepper
• 1/2 cup coarsely chopped red onion
• 1/2 cup coarsely chopped celery
• 1 cup small zucchini chunks
• 2 ounces prosciutto, chopped
• 1 teaspoon minced garlic
• 1 cup peeled carrots, cut in small chunks or baby carrots
• 6 cups fat-free chicken broth or vegetable broth
• 1 (14 1/2-ounce) can diced tomatoes, drained
• 1 (15-ounce) can white navy beans, rinsed and drained
• 3/4 cup small penne pasta
• 1 teaspoon dried basil leaves
• 1 cup packed baby spinach leaves
• Salt and pepper to taste
• Grated Parmesan cheese, optional

Preparation

Each recipe makes 8 (1 cup) servings.

1. In a nonstick pot coated with nonstick spray, heat olive oil and sauté green pepper, onion, and celery, about 5 minutes.
2. Add zucchini, prosciutto, garlic and carrots; continue to sauté another 3-5 minutes or until tender.
3. Add broth, tomatoes, and beans; bring to boil.
4. Add pasta and continue to cook 6-8 minutes or until pasta is tender.
5. Add basil and spinach, stirring until spinach is wilted. Season to taste.
6. Serve with Parmesan cheese, if desired.

Baker’s Tip: When reheating, add more broth if too thick. For a vegetarian option, omit prosciutto and use vegetable broth.

Nutritional Analysis (per serving)

• 159 calories (18% calories from fat)
• 3 g fat
• 1 g saturated fat
• 6 mg cholesterol
• 738 mg sodium
• 24 g carbohydrates
• 6 g dietary fiber
• 5 g sugar
• 10 g protein
• Dietary exchanges: 1 starch, 1 vegetable, 1 lean meat