RECIPE: Mediterranean Chicken Minestrone Soup

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By Christine Datian

Ingredients:

8 cups low-sodium chicken or beef broth

2 cups water

2 medium carrots, diced

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2 stalks celery (and top greens), diced

2 medium zucchini, peeled, diced

3-4 cloves fresh garlic, chopped or minced

1 medium onion, chopped or diced

1 cup elbow pasta or your favorite small pasta

1 16 oz. can white beans, garbanzo beans or kidney beans, rinsed and drained

1 10-oz bag baby spinach, stems removed, chopped or torn

2 cups cooked diced or shredded chicken breast (or turkey)

1 cup tomato sauce or crushed fresh or stewed tomatoes

1/2 cup dry red wine

2 tablespoons tomato paste

1 teaspoon each dried basil and oregano

1/2 teaspoon each sea salt, dried rosemary, black pepper and ground fennel seed

1 bay leaf

Olive oil

Romano or Parmesan cheese (garnish)

Flat-leaf parsley, chopped (garnish)

Buttered croutons (garnish)

 

Instructions:

In a large saucepan, sauté the carrots, celery, zucchini, garlic and onions in 2-3 tablespoons of olive oil for about 5 minutes, stirring until translucent.

Add the broth, water, pasta, beans, spinach, turkey or chicken, tomato sauce or tomatoes, wine, tomato paste, spices and bay leaf, and bring to a full boil; reduce heat to medium-low and cook until vegetables and pasta are tender, mixing occasionally for 45-50 minutes; adjust seasonings, adding additional broth or water if necessary.

Remove bay leaf and serve soup topped with Romano or Parmesan cheese, chopped parsley, and, if desired, some fresh buttered croutons.  Serves 4-6.

For more of Christine’s recipes, go to: <http://search.myrecipes.com/search.html?Ntt=datian>http://search.myrecipes.com/search.html?Ntt=datian or <http://www.thearmeniankitchen.com/http://www.thearmeniankitchen.com.

(Christine Vartanian Datian is a native of Fresno, California and lives in Las Vegas.  She has worked in advertising, marketing, and government subcontracting, and served as a copywriter and technical writer.  She is a graduate of California State University, Fresno (CSUF), and holds a Master of Arts Degree (MA) in Journalism.  She has been published in Sunset and Cooking Light magazines)

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