Name: Homemade Minestrone Soup (slow cooker) by Mina Goodman, RDN
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 4 h
Total time: 4 h 10 min
Ingredients: 29 oz diced tomatoes; 2 tbsp tomato paste; ¼ cup sun-dried tomato pesto; 4 cups vegetable stock; 2 cups water; 1 cup carrots; 1 ¼ cups celery; 1 ½ cups white onion; 5 cloves garlic; 1 tsp dried oregano; 1 sprig rosemary; 2 bay leaves; Celtic sea salt; fresh cracked black pepper; 15 oz red kidney beans; 15 oz great northern beans; 1 ½ cups zuchini; 1 cup frozen green beans; 2 ½ cups baby spinach; finely shredded Parmesan cheese

The best part about making this soup is it can be made in a cinch and has tons of flavor and healthful nutrients. Let's take it to another level by using a slow cooker so the aroma's will fill your home as this complete meal cooks throughout the day...are you getting hungry yet? Let's get cooking!

29 oz diced tomatoeslow sodium

2 tbsp tomato pastelow sodium

¼ cup sun-dried tomato pesto

4 cups vegetable stocklow sodium

2 cups water

1 cup carrotsdiced

1 ¼ cups celerydiced

1 ½ cups white oniondiced

5 cloves garlicminced

1 tsp dried oregano

1 sprig rosemaryor 1/2 tsp. dried

2 bay leaves

Celtic sea saltto taste

fresh cracked black pepperto taste

15 oz red kidney beansdrained and rinsed

15 oz great northern beansdrained and rinsed

1 ½ cups zuchinisliced

1 cup frozen green beansthawed or fresh

2 ½ cups baby spinachthawed or fresh

finely shredded Parmesan cheesefor serving

Add the diced tomatoes, tomato paste, tomato pesto, parmesan rind, vegetable stock, water, carrots, celery, onions, garlic, oregano, rosemary, and bay leaves to a slow cooker. Season with salt and pepper to taste and cook on low heat 6-8 hours or high 3-4 hours.

Add in red kidney beans, great northern beans, zucchini, and pasta and cook on high heat for an additional 20- 25 minutes until pasta is tender. Stir in the spinach and green beans and cook for an additional 5 minutes until heated through. Serve warm topped with parmesan cheese and garlic toasts.