Make Your Own: Slow Cooker Minestrone

Healthy, yummy and wow, barely any calories!

Slow Cooker Vegetable Minestrone

Colorful Tomatoes

Tomatoes contain carotenoids, plant pigments that color them red. Carotenoids are antioxidants that help protect cells from damage.

Savor a veggie-packed slow-cooked hearty Italian soup. From eatbetteramerica.

Prep Time:15 min

Start to Finish:7 hr 35 min

makes:12 servings

4	cups vegetable broth or 1 carton (32 oz) Progresso® chicken broth
4	cups tomato juice
1	tablespoon dried basil leaves
1	teaspoon salt
1/2	teaspoon dried oregano leaves
1/4	teaspoon pepper
2	medium carrots, sliced (1 cup)
2	medium celery stalks, chopped (1 cup)
1	medium onion, chopped (1/2 cup)
1	cup sliced fresh mushrooms (3 oz)
2	garlic cloves, finely chopped
1	can (28 oz) Muir Glen® organic diced tomatoes, undrained
1 1/2	cups uncooked rotini pasta (4 1/2 oz)
	Shredded Parmesan cheese, if desired

1.	In 4- to 5-quart slow cooker, mix all ingredients except pasta and cheese.
2.	Cover; cook on Low heat setting 7 to 8 hours or until vegetables are tender.
3.	Stir in pasta. Cover; cook on High heat setting 15 to 20 minutes or until pasta is tender. Sprinkle each serving with cheese.

Nutritional Information

1 Serving: Calories 90 (Calories from Fat 0); Total Fat 0g (Saturated Fat 0g, Trans Fat 0g); Cholesterol 0mg; Sodium 850mg; Total Carbohydrate 18g (Dietary Fiber 2g, Sugars 6g); Protein 3g Percent Daily Value*: Vitamin A 45%; Vitamin C 20%; Calcium 4%; Iron 10% Exchanges: 1/2 Other Carbohydrate; 2 Vegetable Carbohydrate Choices: 1
*Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.