Minestrone Soup with High Fiber Pasta

Minestrone Soup with High Fiber Pasta:

1 lb. (or so) lean ground beef

2 whole celery stalks, about 1 cup finely diced

3 medium carrots, finely diced

2 cups finely chopped cabbage (I use coleslaw mix to save time)

3 cloves garlic, minced

1 small to medium onion, finely chopped

1 cup frozen chopped spinach, chopped if in big chunks

1 cup frozen corn

1 (15.5 oz.) navy bean, undrained

5 (14.5 oz.) cans beef broth

1 (28 oz.) can crushed tomato

6 to 7 oz.(half a box) Dreamfields spaghetti, broken into 1.5” to 2 “ pieces

3/4 tsp. salt

1/2 tsp. black pepper

1 1/2 tsp. Italian seasoning

1/2 tsp. garlic powder

1/2 tsp. onion powder

1 bay leaf

additional 1/8 tsp. each of salt, pepper, garlic powder, & onion powder for seasoning meat

Add two teaspoons of oil to a large soup pot on medium high heat. When hot, add ground beef and cook until brown. Use two wooden spatulas to chop up meat as it cooks. Add 1/8 tsp. each of garlic powder, onion powder, salt and pepper. Stir in cabbage, celery, carrots, onion, and garlic. Reduce heat to medium low, cover and allow to sweat for 5 minutes.

Add beef broth, crushed tomato and navy beans. Season with salt, pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, Italian seasoning, and bay leaf. Increase heat to come to a boil. Reduce to medium low and simmer for about 30 minutes, loosely covered. Stir occasionally.

If serving immediately, stir pasta, spinach, and corn into soup the last 8 to 9 minutes of cooking.

If serving the soup at a later time, add spinach and corn only to the soup the last 10 minutes of cooking. Cook pasta separately following package directions. Rinse with cold water. Store separately. This prevents pasta from getting overcooked and mushy. Add to the soup when reheating.

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