Minestrone Soup...21 Day Fix Style

I have been trying to find new, easy recipes to keep me on the 21 Day Fix path. My husband suggested soups for lunch, now that the weather is getting cold. It's easy for me to make one big batch and pre-pack his lunches for the week, and its quick and convenient for him to heat up on lunch hour at work. 

Last week I made an Italian favorite...Minestrone! It was delicious and felt very hearty and filling. I adapted this recipe from Fit Mom Angela D. It turned out to be a wonderful version of a favorite soup.

Here's what you need:

2 tbsp olive oil
1 yellow onion, minced
2 ribs celery, diced
2-3 carrots, peeled and diced
1-2 zucchini, diced

*veggies are depending on size. I used organic which were much smaller. I used the larger amount to make up for that. 

1 tbsp oregano
2 tsp basil
1 tsp sea salt
1/2 tsp black pepper
6 cups low sodium chicken broth
1 (28 oz) can diced tomatos
1 (15 oz) can crushed tomatoes
1 (15 oz) can cannellini beans
1/2 to 1 cup whole grain elbow pasta, uncooked(you can use any smaller size pasta. I used ditalini)

*I used 1 cup pasta and I would say that was too much, my husband liked it on the thinker side though

1/3 cup Parmesan cheese, shredded (1 blue container)

Here's what you need to do:

1. In a stock pot, heat oil over medium to medium high heat. Saute garlic and onion until translucent. If oil is too hot the garlic will brown so be sure to stir occasionally and watch for over cooking. 

2. Add the carrots and celery. Cook until tender, about 5 minutes. 

3. Add zucchini and all the seasonings. Cook for another 3-5 minutes, stirring often. 

4. Add broth and tomatoes, bring to a boil

5. Reduce heat to a simmer, uncovered for 10 minutes

6. Add beans and pasta. Cook for 10-15 minutes until pasta and veggies are tender.

7. Serve with 1/3 cup parmesan cheese.

Serving size - 2 cups: 1.5 Green, 1 Yellow, 1 Blue

The only thing I would mention is I did feel 2 cups was a very large serving. You can always do just a cup if you want to have soup with dinner or a lighter lunch. If you are short on your Blue container this is great with or with out the cheese. So feel free to omit and save that Blue for something else. I am also going to be testing this with cooked pasta as the pasta obviously absorbs a lot of the soup. I'll let you know how that works out! 

Up next: Chicken noodle soup 21 Day Fixed!

What is your favorite soup for winter? Share in the comments below!