Minestrone Soup #SundaySupper

Hi Everyone and Happy Sunday to you!

Today for #SundaySupper we are to bring a slow cooked meal to the table.  For me, I originally wanted to get a smoker and slow cook some beef brisket, but that wasn’t happening for me.  So when else fails, I pulled out my handy dandy Crockpot and made some spring time Minestrone Soup.

To me it doesn’t matter how warm it is out, I can always go for a big bowl of hearty soup.   Not only is this soup great tasting, healthy and really fills you up, but it tastes even better the next day.  Since I made so much of this soup, I had it for lunch a few days in a row.  I just love it!  Even my Husband who is a meat and potatoes kind of guy, loved this soup.  He had two heaping bowls for dinner the first night and a couple of bowls the next!!  Huh, I got him to eat beans and zucchini!  lol

The soup is a snap to put together, matter in fact the night before I chopped up all my vegetables so in the morning I can just add everything to the Crockpot and head off to work.  I love coming home to dinner being just about already done.  The only things I had to do was add my zucchini and cook my pasta.  Ok, cooking my pasta is a lie.  But I’m telling you to cook the pasta separate from the soup. I added the pasta 30 minutes before I was getting ready to serve it and the noodles basically fell apart.  They kind of look like rice.  It still tasted good.  Now normally I always cook my pasta separate,  but this time I didn’t, that was a mistake.  If you don’t mind your pasta, falling a part or being over cooked, then just toss it in the soup.  It doesn’t taste bad at all, and it does save time, but for looks, you kind of want to see the pasta.  I used Trader Joe’s High Fiber Penne Pasta.

The ingredients I used is chicken stock, but you can use vegetable stock, onions, garlic, tomatoes, kidney beans, carrots, celery and zucchini   I really like the addition of the zucchini in the soup.  Since it didn’t cook that long, it was soften, yet it had a slight crunch to it.  Love zucchini!!!  I topped my soup with a little Parmesan Cheese and hot sauce.  For some reason when I have a tomato based soup, I like to add hot sauce to it for an added kick of heat.  Not a lot, just a little.  My Husband thinks I am weird!

Minestrone Soup

Nutrition Information

• Serves: 10 Cups

• Serving size: 1 Cup

Prep time:  10 mins

Total time:  8 hours 10 mins

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An Italian, hearty, good for you broth based soup full of vegetables and pasta.

Ingredients

• 4 cups reduced sodium chicken broth or vegetable
• 2 cloves garlic, sliced thin
• 2 (14.5 ounce) cans diced tomatoes, no salt added
• 1 (15-ounce) can dark red kidney beans, drained, rinsed
• 1 cup carrot, diced into ¼" pieces
• 1 cup celery, diced into ¼" pieces
• 1 cup onion, chopped small
• 1 tsp. dried oregano
• 1 tsp. dried basil
• ½ tsp. pepper, ground
• 1 medium zucchini, sliced
• 1 cup penne pasta or shells (I used TJ's High Fiber Penne Pasta)
• Optional topping: Parmesan Cheese

Instructions

1. In a Crockpot; add the broth, diced tomatoes, kidney beans, carrots, celery, onion, oregano, basil and pepper. Cover and cook on LOW for 6 to 8 hours or on HIGH for 3 to 4 hours.
2. Thirty minutes before the soup is done, add the zucchini. Cover and cook 30 more minutes. Season with salt and black pepper.
3. Meanwhile, cook the pasta according to manufactures directions. I don't recommend putting the pasta in the soup because it falls apart if it is in the pot to long.
4. Spoon pasta into bowl and ladle soup over the pasta.

Notes

I didn't add salt to the soup, until the end, I recommend adding some to your taste. I'm trying to cut back a pinch on sodium, so use your judgement, I would recommend maybe a half teaspoon.

Calories per cup: 102, Fat: .02, Cholesterol: 0, Sodium: 70, Potassium: 189, Carbs: 19, Fiber: 5.1, Sugar: 4.4, Protein: 5.2

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I have to say, I enjoyed this soup and it’s fantastic to have lunches already made for me.  That’s one thing I hate doing is making lunches every night.  I normally eat salad, so it’s a lot of chopping.  I try to chop a bunch of veggies on Sundays so I can just toss some in my salad, but I never do.  I’m kind of bad that way.

Be sure to check out what slow cooked meals everyone from #SundaySupper has made.  I need some more slow cooked meal ideas.  I can’t wait to see what they have come up with!!  That’s when I think, man I should have made that or wow, didn’t know you can do that.  It’s amazing what recipes people can come up with.  I think that is what makes cooking so much fun!

Have a great rest of the weekend!

Toodles,

Jennifer

P.S.  Here’s a pic of my soup at the dinner table, mixed with my hot sauce and cheese.  It’s crazy the difference in color from one part of the room to the other.

Low & Slow Breads & Starters:

• Asiago Meatballs from Daily Dish Recipes
• Slow Cooker Bread: Easy Dinner Rolls from Growing Up Gabel

Low & Slow Mains:

• Appetizing & Wonderful (A & W) Ribs from Foxes Love Lemons
• Apricot-Mustard Baked Ham from Healthy.Delicious.
• Braniya {Lamb and Eggplant Tajine} from MarocMama
• Brisket from Sustainable Dad
• Brisket with Ale BBQ Sauce from Kudos Kitchen By Renee
• Carnitas from That Skinny Chick Can Bake
• Dairyfree Chicken and Mushroom Ragout from The Not So Cheesy Kitchen
• Dry Rubbed Smoked Back Ribs from Noshing With The Nolands
• French Dip Sandwiches from Hezzi-D’s Books and Cooks
• Fried Beef Ribs from The Urban Mrs
• Italian Beef from Curious Cuisiniere
• Italian Sunday Gravy from The Girl In The Little Red Kitchen
• Jambalaya from Gourmet Drizzles
• Minestrone Soup from Peanut Butter and Peppers
• Osso Buco from Webicurean
• Pork and Sauerkraut Sandwiches from Cindy’s Recipes and Writings
• Salsa Chicken from Momma’s Meals
• Sauerbraten from Magnolia Days
• Slow Cooker Chana Masala from Small Wallet, Big Appetite
• Slow-Cooker Mole from girlichef
• Slow Cooked Pork Sausage and Onions from Family Foodie
• Sweet Pork from Table for Seven

Low & Slow Sides:

• Caramelized Garlic in the Crock-Pot from Shockingly Delicious
• Rice, Bean and Vegetable Casserole from Happy Baking Days
• Slow Roasted Balsamic Tomatoes from The Wimpy Vegetarian

Low & Slow Desserts:

• 8-hour Cheesecake with Roasted Grapes (gluten free) from Vintage Kitchen
• Gluten Free Slow Cooker Glazed Cinnamon Coffee Cake from Blueberries and Blessings
• Slow-Cooked Gooey Pina Colada Cake from Juanita’s Cocina
• Slow Cooker Pineapple Coconut Rice Pudding from Sue’s Nutrition Buzz

Wine Pairing Recommendations for Low & Slow Food from ENOFYLZ Wine Blog

Don’t forget to join the #SundaySupper chat on Twitter Sunday to discuss cooking low and slow! We’ll tweet throughout the day and share our delicious recipes. Our weekly chat starts at 7:00 pm EST. Follow the #SundaySupper hashtag, and remember to include it in your tweets to join in the chat. Check out our #SundaySupper Pinterest board for more delicious recipes and food photos.

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