Thursday, December 10, 2009

A Low Fat Recipe As Requested-Minestrone Soup


It is Friday once again and time to join Michael @ Designs by Gollum to see all those fabulous blogger recipes.




     I love soup, almost all kinds of soup. I usually prefer cream soups with the exception of minestrone and vegetable soup. Minestrone is one of those recipes that I make a lot of and freeze for those cold winter nights when I don’t want to cook. I make mine vegetarian (we aren’t) simply because I like the flavor this way. Don't let the recipe list scare you. The ingredients aren't really expensive, and much of what you are doing is opening cans and dumping.












Ingredients:


2 T. olive oil
1 cup chopped/chunked celery (about 3 stalks)
1 cup chopped/chunked carrots (about 3 regular carrots)
1 potato (any variety) chopped
1 onion chopped (optional-you all know by now that I don’t cook with onions)
1 can white beans, rinse and drain
1 can red beans, rinse and drain
1 can garbanzo beans, rinse and drain
1 can green beans, drained
1 can (14.5 oz) of diced tomatoes (I use fire roasted, but you can use others)
1 small head of cabbage (about 4 cups) in chunks
1 zucchini
½ cup pasta (elbow-or whatever you have)
1 tsp. oregano
2 T. dried basil
4 cubes vegetable bouillon (or the equal amount of chicken broth or bouillon to mix in the 8 c. water)
8 cups of water
Parmesan Cheese

In a large stock pot or pan, sauté the celery, carrots, potato and optional onion for 3 minutes until slightly tender. Add the drained white, red, green and garbanzo beans. Add the diced tomatoes, cabbage, bouillon cubes, water, oregano and basil. Stir gently to mix. (you did not add the zucchini, pasta or parmesan cheese yet) Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer. About 30 minutes before serving add the zucchini and the pasta. Serve garnished with parmesan cheese. The longer you cook this soup (before adding the zucchini and pasta, the better). You can do this in a crock pot, just add the final ingredients a little while before serving so they will get tender.






23 comments:

Jeanette said...

That looks so good. I have a huge list of recipes to try before the first of the year so this is the first on my list to try for 2010.

Kristen said...

I love soup and this looks great, especially now that the thermometer has plunged!

Karen said...

Okay . . . YUM! It is cold here tonight again, has been in the 20's the past 2 nights, (which is unusual for So Cal) and this just sounds so wonderful right about now.
Thanks for sharing!
Karen

Rattlebridge Farm said...

Low-fat and big on flavor and warmth--that's just what Dr. Gollum needs. Can't wait to try this!

Yvonne @ StoneGable said...

This is loaded with all kinds of great veggies and other yummy things! Sue, this is a winner! I make one of my dear friends a pot of soup every month ( a birthday gift) for a year, and I am going to make this one next week. Her family is coming in for Christmas- she will love this. Thanks soooooo much!
Yvonne

Lyneen said...

YUMMY... I may have to try this. We eat a lot of soup in the winter. Thanks for stopping by my blog and entering my blogoversay. Good Luck

koralee said...

Ok...send a bowl over...just what I need right now...comfort food on a cold cold day!

Cindy (Applestone Cottage) said...

Hi Sue,
I just toured your table below and it's elegant and glowing and oh, I want that gorgeous china! I love how creamy and golden it is! Your recipe looks great too! Cindy

Natasha in Oz said...

This looks so healthy and just plain delicious. I probably won't cook this for a while though...our temps have been reaching around 95 for the last week!

Have a great weekend and best wishes, Natasha.

Shellbelle said...

Oh Sue, this looks delicious and easy. I am so glad you used fire-roasted tomatoes, they are incredible and really add a great depth of flavor to any recipe. I love soup any time of the year!

dee dee said...

Sue,
If this is anything as good as your chowder, I'm so sold! Have you thought about writing a book on just soup recipes? Your's are all so tastey and simple to make. ...Dee dee

bj said...

O, I love this kind of soup....especially when I have some frozen and can pull it out on a cold winters night!! We do this often, too...
Your recipe sounds amazing..
I don't use one...just put things in the soup that I have or that we like....my mom called iT ICEBOX STEW....all leftovers with rice or noodles, cabbage, whatever she had oon hand...
Thanks so much for this recipe...i feel a big crock pot full of soup coming on!!

Unknown said...

What a terrific looking soup, Sue!! We are totally sold on soup....especially with the weather we've been having. Thanks for posting :)

CHRISTmas Blessings!
Gail

Mary Bergfeld said...

What a great and easy recipe. It really looks scrumptious. It's perfect for our cold, damp weather. Have a great Foodie Friday.

honeysuckle said...

This sounds so healthy and perfect for this weekend when we will all be trying to keep warm. Bundle up! Thanks for coming by.

susan said...

Sue-I have never made a true minestrone and this sounds delicious and healthy--love the cabbage. Jessie doesn't know she is NOT supposed to wear clothes and really does like them...beagles not so much :)Thanks for stopping by!

annies home said...

looks like a delicious dish that will help fight the cold weather

Life Laugh Latte said...

You know I do whatever you say! I can't wait to make this. I love soups too. I made a great spontaneous soup the other day. I had a rotisserie chicken on hand. I used 16 oz. of chick. stock, 1 cup of salsa, 1/2 onion chopped, 1 can of black beans, added the chopped chicken and simmered for 10 min. Topped with cheese, a dollup of sour cream, and my kids went nuts. Holly

The Fajdich Times said...

Soup is just great for this kind of weather. Yours looks really good:)

Maria said...

Mmmmmmmmm I can smell that cookin'
Love the topping of Parmesan cheese!
So hearty and sooooo good ~~
~Maria

Maria said...

ps. I'm working on that Angel tree topper with the bow "cloud" as you had described in your Nov. 16th post. I'll post a picture if it comes out okay :)

Lexie said...

you should try subbing romano pecorino for the Parmesan sometime .. it's SO good!

rl said...

This looks really good. Will try it too! Thanks.