Detox Monday
For this week’s Detox Monday, I bring you Crock Pot Minestrone Soup.
I love this vegetarian soup for its abundant vegetables and Italian seasonings.
But not all minestrone soups are created equal.
I hate when there are too many beans and too many bean varieties in one bowl.
And when I make minestrone at home, it has to be sans beans since my husband is not a fan. So what drew me to this particular Skinny Taste recipe? It was the white beans pureed into the broth. What a sneaky way to insert a little protein and fiber into the meal without consciously eating the musical fruit 
Top this soup with a touch of fresh parmesan cheese and you’ve got perfection!
Crock Pot Minestrone Soup
What You Need
- ½ onion, chopped
- 1 cup carrots, chopped
- 1 celery stalk, chopped
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 (28 oz) can diced tomatoes
- 1 (15 oz) can white beans, drained, rinsed (cannellini or navy)
- 4 cups fat free chicken broth (or vegetable broth)
- 1 oz chunk of good Parmesan cheese rind
- 1 fresh rosemary sprig
- 2 bay leaves
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil
- ¼ cup chopped fresh Italian parsley leaves
- Salt and fresh pepper
- 1 medium zucchini, chopped
- 2 cups chopped fresh or frozen (defrosted) spinach
- 2 cups cooked small pasta like ditalini or mini shells
- Extra Parmesan cheese to top
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What To Do
- Rinse and drain beans. Puree beans with 1 cup of the broth in a blender.
- In a crock pot, combine broth, tomatoes, pureed beans, carrots, celery, onion, garlic, herbs, Parmesan cheese rind, salt and pepper. Cover and cook on low for 6 to 8 hours.
- Forty minutes before the soup is done cooking, add zucchini and spinach. Cover and cook 30 more minutes.
- Add cooked pasta and cook 10 minutes more.
- Remove bay leaves, rosemary sprig, parmesan rind and season to taste with salt and pepper.
- Ladle soup into bowls and top with extra parmesan cheese.
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http://glorioffood.com/2012/01/30/detox-monday-7/
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