Slow Cooker Minestrone

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Fall is my favorite season of the year.  I love the fact that it is cool in the morning, heats up and then cools off at night.  I love sleeping with the windows open and an extra quilt on the bed.  I love layering my clothes.  I love the crispness in the air, the blue hue of the sky and the colors of the leaves.  I also love the fall harvest of foods.  What I love almost most of all is that I am able to really get back into the kitchen and start making soups, breads and experimenting with new recipes!!

In times gone by – we used to gain weight in the winter – makes sense – helps us stay warmer, etc.  Winter foods are a little heavier and if you think about what is your comfort food- most likely it is probably a food associated with the colder months. We all have our comfort foods – two of mine are soup and bread – to me one of the perfect food combinations!

Slow Cooker Minestrone

Ingredients

1 Tbl Olive oil
1 Medium sized Nnion, minced
1 Celery rib, chopped
2 Medium sized Carrots, chopped
2 Garlic cloves, minced
$ oz Green Beans, ends trimmed and cut into 1 inch pieces
1 1/2 cups garbanzo beans or (1) 15.5 oz. can – drained and rinsed
One 14.5 oz. can diced Tomatoes, left undrained
1 medium sized Zucchini or Yellow squash, diced
6 cups vegetable stock
Salt and freshly ground Pepper
1/2 cup raw or 1 cup cooked small soup pasta (optional)

1. Pour the oil in the bottom of a 4 – 6 quart slow cooker. Add the onion, celery, carrot, garlic – cover and cook on high while you prep the other ingredients.

2. Wash, trim and cut the green beans, drain the chickpeas, cut the zucchini – when all are done – add to the crock pot, along with the tomatoes, salt and pepper.  Cover and cook on low for 7 – 8 hours.

3. If using the raw pasta (we used little letters), about an hour before you are ready to serve, add it to the slow cooker and cover.

Serve with some homemade bread and be nourished and comforted!  Happy and healthy eating to you…

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