Cooking On a Budget: Winter Minestrone Soup

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The cold days of winter are still sticking around in many areas of the United States.  Soon enough, we will be able to enjoy the warm spring days that will (hopefully) soon be upon us. In the meantime, we have a delicious winter minestrone soup recipe that will warm you up and satisfy your appetite! The ingredients are inexpensive and nutritious, so you can feel good about serving this healthy soup to your family. We think you will love this recipe. Give it a try!

Winter Minestrone Soup Ingredients:

4 slices of bacon

1 tablespoon of olive oil

2 large carrots

1 onion

2 cloves of garlic

1 14 ounce can of cannellini beans

4 cups of kale

4 cups of low sodium chicken broth

1 cup of shell pasta

1 cup of thawed out frozen peas

Winter Minestrone Soup Directions:

Cut the bacon slices into small pieces. Then heat the olive oil in a medium sized saucepan and cook the bacon for approximately 5 minutes on low-medium heat. Stir the bacon frequently. While the bacon is cooking, peel the carrots. Cut the carrots in half lengthwise and then cut them into thin slices. Then, cute the onion in half and slice it thinly. Also, cut the garlic into finely chopped pieces. Add the onion, carrots, and garlic to the saucepan that contain the bacon. Cook this mixture for 5 minutes on a low-medium heat. Stir it frequently to prevent burning. While this mixture cooks, rinse the cannellini beans and drain the liquid. Then, chop the kale into small chunks. Next, add the chicken broth and 2 cups boiling water to the saucepan. Bring everything to a boil. Add the beans, kale, pasta, and peas. Reduce the heat and simmer the mixture for approximately 10 minutes. Be sure to store everything frequently. This soup can be stored in the refrigerator for a day in advance. Just be sure to cover it. Enjoy!