Lower Sodium Minestrone Food

LOW-SODIUM V8 MINESTRONE

Steps:

• Pour V8 juice, water, spices, and soy sauce (if you're not watching your sodium intake too closely) into a 2.5 quart crockpot.
• Chop the onion, garlic, zucchini, carrots, celery, green beans, and potato; add to the crockpot.
• Cook on low for 8-10 hours.
• Before serving, stir in baby spinach and heat until wilted.
• Ladle into individual serving bowls (I prefer this soup in oversized cappuccino mugs) and serve with fresh salad and/or warm whole wheat rolls for a healthy and hearty meal.

MINESTRONE SOUP

Steps:

• Heat the olive oil in a large pot over medium-high heat. Add the onion and cook until translucent, about 4 minutes. Add the garlic and cook 30 seconds. Add the celery and carrot and cook until they begin to soften, about 5 minutes. Stir in the green beans, dried oregano and basil, 3/4 teaspoon salt, and pepper to taste; cook 3 more minutes.
• Add the diced and crushed tomatoes and the chicken broth to the pot and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium low and simmer 10 minutes. Stir in the kidney beans and pasta and cook until the pasta and vegetables are tender, about 10 minutes. Season with salt. Ladle into bowls and top with the parmesan and chopped basil.

CONTEST-WINNING EASY MINESTRONE

Steps:

• In a large saucepan, saute the carrots, celery and onion in oil and butter until tender. Add garlic; cook 1 minute longer., Stir in the broth, tomato sauce, beans, chickpeas, tomatoes, cabbage, basil, parsley, oregano and pepper. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 15 minutes. Add macaroni; cook, uncovered, 6-8 minutes or until macaroni and vegetables are tender., Ladle soup into bowls. Sprinkle with cheese. Freeze option: Before adding cheese, freeze cooled soup in freezer containers. To use, partially thaw in refrigerator overnight. Heat through in a saucepan, stirring occasionally and adding a little broth or water if necessary.

LOW FAT MINESTRONE SOUP

Steps:

• Sauté onion, celery and garlic in oil in large pot or Dutch oven.
• Add water and bouillon cubes and bring to a boil to dissolve cubes.
• Drain tomatoes and add liquid to pot.
• Chop tomatoes and add with pasta shells.
• Cook for 10 minutes, stirring frequently.
• Add seasonings (and feel free to adjust seasonings to taste), vegetables and beans.
• Simmer 15 minutes to heat through.