This soup is great to eat on a cold, wintry day or evening in Texas. It’s simple to make and can be cooked in the crockpot or on the stove. The best part, it’s hearty enough to fill you up and keep you satisfied until your next meal.

Minestrone

Ingredients:

  • 2 pounds ground turkey, lean ground beef or ground chicken
  • 1 medium yellow onion, chopped
  • 4 cloves garlic, minced
  • 3 stalks celery, thinly sliced
  • 2 to 3 cups shredded carrots
  • 9 cups chicken stock/broth
  • 24 ounces strained tomatoes
  • 18 ounces diced tomatoes (regular or fire roasted)
  • 3 tablespoons white vinegar
  • 2 tablespoons Italian seasoning
  • 1.5 tablespoons sea salt
  • 1 tablespoon dried parsley
  • 1 tablespoon ground cumin
  • 3/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper (less if you don’t like spice)
  • 1/2 teaspoon cracked black pepper
  • 1/2 pound yellow squash, halved lengthwise and thinly sliced into half-moons
  • 1/2 cup fresh chopped basil

Directions:

  1. Brown the ground meet until cooked through, drain, move to crock pot if using
  2. Add onion, garlic, celery, and carrots in a hot deep soup pan or stock pot and saute over medium heat for 8  minutes until the vegetables are slightly tender
  3. Add the remaining ingredients except the squash and basil
  4. If using crockpot, cook on low 8 hour or high 6 hours / If cooking on stovetop, cover and simmer for 30 minutes to 1 hour
  5. Add squash and basil during the last 30 minutes of cooking for both methods

 

Healthy Meal: Honey-Rosemary Roast Lamb with Sweet Potatoes and Green Beans
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