Minestrone*
(courtesy of Chris Wyatt, chef, Renown Healthy Heart Program, and food and beverage manager, Renown Health in Reno. Makes 4 quarts or 8, 2-cup servings)
1 medium yellow onion, diced
1 large carrot, diced
2 stalks celery, diced
1 large zucchini, diced
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon each dried basil, granulated garlic, and granulated onion
½ teaspoon each black pepper and crushed red pepper
1 tablespoon dried oregano
2 bay leaves
4 cups no-salt-added vegetable stock
1 cup green beans, trimmed and cut into 1-inch pieces
1 cup fresh or frozen peas
¼ head cabbage, roughly chopped
1, 15-ounce can each of no-salt-added kidney beans and no-salt-added navy beans, drained and rinsed
1, 15-ounce can no-salt-added diced tomatoes
1, 15-ounce can tomato sauce
2 cups whole wheat elbow pasta, cooked al dente
¼ cup fresh parsley, minced
Apply a light coating of no-stick cooking spray to nonstick pan and turn heat to medium. Add onion, carrot, celery, zucchini, and garlic. Cook just until soft, about 5 minutes. Season sautéed vegetables with basil, granulated garlic, granulated onion, pepper, crushed red pepper, and oregano and cook 5 minutes more. Stir in bay leaves, vegetable stock, green beans, peas, cabbage, canned beans, tomatoes, and tomato sauce. Cook until heated through, about 15 minutes. Add whole wheat elbow pasta and cook just until soft, 5 more minutes. Finish with fresh parsley.
*Recipe developed by Chris Wyatt in accordance with Healthy Heart standards.
