Minestrone with Endive & Pepperoni
We love this healthy soup and it fits right into a low calorie menu! Feel free to substitute the lima beans for a can of beans of choice (kidney, black, lima, small white, etc.) and substitute the endive for spinach or kale. If you use fresh vegetables, cook the soup for 20-30 minutes, or until vegetables are done. Then add the endive at the end.
Yield: 6 servings, about 1 1/2 cups eachPrep Time:
Cook Time:
Total Time:
Ingredients:
| 1 tablespoon | extra-virgin olive oil |
| 1/2 cup | chopped fresh or frozen (thawed) green bell pepper, or any color |
| 5 cups | reduced-sodium beef broth |
| 1 1/2 teaspoons | dried oregano |
| 1 teaspoon | dried thyme |
| 2/3 cup | whole-wheat elbow noodles or other small pasta |
| 1 pound | frozen mixed soup (or stew) vegetable (including potatoes, carrots,, onion), thawed, chopped (or use fresh) |
| 1 cup | frozen baby lima beans, thawed |
| 1 (15-ounce) can | diced tomato with garlic and onion |
| 1/2 cup | diced pepperoni |
| 3 cups | lightly packed coarsely chopped curly endive or chard, tough stems removed |
| freshly ground pepper to taste | |
| freshly grated parmesan cheese for garnish | |
Directions:
Heat oil in a large saucepan or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add bell peppers and cook, stirring, for 3 minutes. Add broth, oregano and thyme; bring to a rolling boil over high heat. Add pasta and cook for 3 minutes less than the package directions.
Add mixed soup (or stew) vegetables and lima beans. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat; boil until the vegetables are almost tender, about 3 minutes. Stir in tomatoes, pepperoni and endive (or chard); return to a boil. Adjust the heat and simmer until the endive (or chard) is just tender, about 5 minutes. Season with pepper and garnish with Parmesan, if desired.
Source: eatingwell.com
