Italian Minestrone

With all of these vegetables, this is a naturally low-fat soup with a hearty taste. With a nice loaf of fresh bread, it makes a great light meal.

Makes 10 cups

INGREDIENTS
1 medium onion, chopped (about 1 cup)
4 garlic cloves, minced (about 4 teaspoons)
2 tablespoons olive oil
8 cups Chicken Broth, Vegetable Stock, or canned reduced-sodium chicken broth
2 cups water
1 cup defrosted frozen lima beans
1/2 to 1 teaspoon dried oregano, or to taste
1/2 to 1 teaspoon dried rosemary, or to taste
14-ounce can Italian plum tomatoes, chopped, juice reserved
2 tablespoons tomato paste
1/2 pound boiling potatoes, scrubbed and cut into 1/4-inch pieces
1/2 cup dried macaroni shells
3 medium carrots, chopped (about 1 1/4 cups)
3 stalks celery, chopped (about 1 cup)
1 medium leek, chopped (about 1/2 cup), rinsed well, and patted dry
1 small zucchini, cut into 1/4-inch pieces
1/2 cup fresh or defrosted frozen peas
Salt and pepper to taste
1/3 cup chopped fresh parsley or basil, optional
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese, optional

DIRECTIONS
In a large kettle, cook the onion and the garlic in the oil over moderately low heat for 10 minutes. Add the broth, the water, the lima beans, and the spices. Bring the mixture to a boil and simmer it for 20 minutes. Add the tomatoes with their juice, tomato paste, potatoes, macaroni, carrots and celery, and simmer for 10 minutes. Add the leek, zucchini, and peas, and simmer for 5 minutes or until they are just tender. Add salt and pepper to taste and the parsley or basil, if using. Serve each portion sprinkled with 2 teaspoons of the Parmesan, if desired.

Nutritional Analysis per 1-cup serving: 145 calories; 24% calories from fat; 4 grams of fat; 680 milligrams of sodium

Source: Joan Lunden’s Healthy Cooking by Joan Lunden and Laura Morton - See more at: http://joanlunden.com/joans_recipes_minestrone.html#sthash.yvP34E6b.dpuf