slow cooker vegetable minestrone soup

Slow Cooker

Slow Cooker Vegetable Minestrone Soup

Drescription

A winter classic, this crock pot version of minestrone is heavy on the vegetables and light on the pasta, keeping carbs in check while providing plenty of flavor.

Ingredients

4 large carrots, peeled and chopped
3 stalks celery, chopped
1 small red onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 cups fresh green beans, trimmed and cut into 2-inch pieces
2 (15 ounce) cans no-sodium-added red kidney beans, rinsed
2 (15 ounce) cans no-sodium-added diced tomatoes, undrained
6 cups no-sodium-added vegetable broth, such as kitchen basics
2 tablespoons italian seasoning
1 teaspoon crushed red pepper
¾ teaspoon salt, divided
½ teaspoon ground pepper
1 large zucchini, chopped
4 ounces whole-wheat pasta elbows or other small pasta (about 1 cup)
½ cup freshly grated parmesan cheese

Directions

Combine carrots, celery, onion, garlic, green beans, kidney beans, tomatoes, broth, Italian seasoning, crushed red pepper, 1/4 teaspoon salt, and pepper in a 6- to 8-qt. slow cooker. Cover and cook on Low for 6 to 8 hours.
Stir in zucchini, pasta, and the remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt. Cover and cook on Low until the pasta is tender, 15 to 20 minutes more. Serve immediately, topping each serving with about 1 1/2 tablespoons Parmesan.

Oat Honey Cookies

This recipe was the result of an intense cookie desire one late night in college. Lacking both white and brown sugar, and with only the dregs of a box of turbinado sugar, I made do with what I had and was pleasantly surprised by how tasty and addictive these were! Since that first batch, I've refined the recipe a bit. These cookies are wholesome, but still a treat. They're great with a cup of tea or coffee in the afternoon.