Low-fat Minestrone Soup

Total Time: 1 hr 30 mins Preparation Time: 30 mins Cook Time: 1 hr

Ingredients

• Servings: 6
• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
• 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
• 1/2 cup onion (about 1 med)
• 3 cups chopped green cabbage (about 1/2 medium head)
• 2 cups chopped zucchini (about 2 small)
• 1 cup slice carrot (about 2 medium)
• 1 cup chopped celery (about 2 medium stalks)
• 4 cups vegetable broth (i"ve used vegetable broth cubes or canned broth)
• 4 cups tomato juice (i use a whole large can)
• 1 cup dry red wine
• 1 tablespoon dried basil
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1/4 teaspoon pepper
• 1 (28 ounce) can whole tomatoes, undrained
• 1 (14 ounce) can garbanzo beans, rinsed and drained
• 1 (14 ounce) can kidney beans, rinsed and drained
• 1 (10 ounce) package frozen chopped spinach, thawed and squeezed to drain
• grated parmesan cheese, if desired

Recipe

• 1 heat oil in 8 qt dutch oven over medium heat.
• 2 cook garlic and onion in oil about 2 minutes, stirring occasionally, until onion is tender.
• 3 stir in remaining ingredients except cheese, break up tomatoes.
• 4 heat to boiling; reduce heat.
• 5 cover and simmer 1 hour.
• 6 serve with grated parmesan cheese.
• 7 freezes well.
• 8 sometimes i cook pasta and add it to the bowl before i ladle out the soup, but it is good as is. don't add the pasta directly to the soup as it will break down and become a starchy mess.
• 9 enjoy!