Garden Minestrone
8 servings (serving size: 1 1/2 cups soup and 2 tablespoons cheese)
Calories - 217 (25% from fat)
Fat - 6.1g (sat 2.7g,mono 2g,poly 0.6g)
Protein - 12.6g
Carbohydrate - 30.5g
Fiber - 7.9g
Ingredients
• 2 teaspoons olive oil
• 1 cup chopped onion
• 2 teaspoons chopped fresh oregano
• 4 garlic cloves, minced
• 3 cups chopped yellow squash
• 3 cups chopped zucchini
• 1 cup chopped carrot
• 1 cup fresh corn kernels (about 2 ears)
• 4 cups chopped tomato, divided
• 3 (14-ounce) cans fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth, divided
• 1/2 cup uncooked penne pasta
• 1 (15.5-ounce) can Great Northern beans, rinsed and drained
• 1 (6-ounce) package fresh baby spinach
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1 cup (4 ounces) grated Asiago cheese
• Coarsely ground black pepper (optional)
Preparation
Heat oil in a pan at medium-high heat. Add onion to pan; sauté 3 minutes or until softened. Add oregano and garlic; sauté 1 minute. Stir in squash, zucchini, carrot, and corn; sauté 5 minutes or until vegetables are tender. Remove from heat.
Place 3 cups tomato and 1 can broth in a blender; process until smooth. Add tomato mixture to pan; return pan to heat. Stir in remaining 1 cup tomato and remaining 2 cans broth; bring mixture to a boil. Reduce heat, and simmer 20 minutes.
Add pasta and beans to pan; cook 10 minutes or until pasta is tender, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat. Stir in spinach, salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Ladle soup into individual bowls; top with cheese. Garnish with coarsely ground black pepper, if desired.
