This hearty, seasonal vegetable minestrone soup is brimming with protein, antioxidants, fiber, and flavor. Serve it with a low-fat roasted red pepper and cheese quesadilla (ready in under 10 minutes) and you’ve added a new meal to your dinner arsenal.
Note: When you’re chopping the vegetables, don’t worry about how they look, or if they’re exactly 3/4-inch thick. Just ask yourself if they’re the size you’d want to eat in a spoonful of soup. If the answer is yes, move on. Soup is not about perfectionism. It’s about deliciousness.
Time saver option: buy pre-sliced and peeled butternut squash (easy to find at most grocery stores)
Vegetable Minestrone Soup and Quick Quesadillas (Adapted from Cooking Light)
Soup Ingredients:
- 1 Tablespoon vegetable oil
- 1 cup chopped onion
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 6 cups low-sodium vegetable broth
- 1/2 a medium butternut squash, peeled and cubed
- 1 large potato, peeled and cubed
- 2 diced carrots
- 4 cups kale, chopped
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 3/4 cup macaroni
- 1 16-ounce can navy beans or other white bean, rinsed and drained
- 1/2 cup grated fresh Parmesan cheese
Soup Instructions:
- Heat oil in a heavy-bottom soup pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat.
- Add onion and garlic; saute 3 minutes.
- Add broth and next 7 ingredients (through salt) and bring to a boil.
- Reduce heat and simmer for 3 minutes.
- Add kale, pasta, and beans. Cook 5 minutes or until vegetables are tender.
- Serve in bowls and garnish with grated cheese.
Quick Quesadillas:
Prep these sandwiches while you’re waiting for the soup to boil. Crank the broiler when the soup’s done and you’re about ready to serve.
Quesadilla Ingredients:
- 6-inch flour tortillas (like Mission Carb Balance tortilla)
- Your favorite reduced-fat shredded cheese
- 1 bottle roasted red bell peppers (size depending on how many you’re making)
Quesadilla Instructions:
- Spread tinfoil on a baking sheet and spray with cooking spray or olive oil mist.
- Place tortillas on baking sheet.
- Cover each tortilla with 2 tablespoons of cheese and 2 tablespoons of chopped roasted peppers.
- Top with another tortilla and spray with cooking spray or olive oil mist.
- Place baking sheet on top oven rack under the broil, and broil for 3 minutes or until lightly browned.
- Carefully turn quesadilla over and broil another 3 minutes.
- Cut into quarters and serve 4 triangles with each bowl of soup.
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