Hearty Two Bean Minestrone Soup
The perfect soup to add a fresh salad and whole grain bread sticks to! So zesty and delicious, a family favorite, enjoy.
Ingredients
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 medium onion chopped
- 2 cloves garlic finely chopped
- 4 tbsp unsalted tomato sauce
- 1/4 tsp Italian seasoning
- 1/4 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
- 1/2 cup uncooked, whole wheat, small shell shaped pasta
- 2 (14.5 ounce) cans chicken broth reduced fat and reduced sodium
- 1 (15.5 ounce) can red kidney beans reduced sodium, drained and rinsed
- 1 (15.5 ounce) can garbanzo beans reduced sodium, drained and rinsed
- 1 (14.5 ounce) can Italian style stewed tomatoes unsalted, undrained
- 2 cups chopped kale
- 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese for garnish
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Instructions
- In a medium saucepan, heat oil over medium high heat until hot.
- Cook and stir onion and garlic 3 to 5 minutes or until onion is translucent.
- Add broth, beans, tomatoes, kale, or swiss chard (if desired), pasta and seasonings; bring to a boil.
- Reduce heat; cover and simmer 10 to 12 minutes or until pasta is tender.
- Serve with Parmesan cheese.
Couscous Chicken
Ingredients
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 3 cloves garlic chopped
- 2 (8 ounce) boneless, skinless chicken breast cut into bit size cubes
- 8 ounce baby spinach
- 1/3 cup reduced fat Italian salad dressing
- 1 cup no salt canned diced tomatoes undrained
- 2 cups couscous cooked, prefer whole wheat variety
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Instructions
- Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat.
- Add the olive oil and heat.
- Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute.
- Add the chicken and cook about 4 minutes per side, or until cooked through and juices run clear.
- Remove the chicken and set aside.
- To the same pan, add the spinach and cook just until wilted, about 1 to 2 minutes
- Remove from the pan and set aside.
- Lower the heat to medium and add the Italian dressing to the pan and stir, scraping the bottom of the pan to remove any browned bits.
- Add the tomatoes, bring to a simmer and cook 3 to 5 minutes.
- Cook couscous according to package directions and place cooked couscous in a serving bowl.
- Top with the spinach, chicken, and tomato sauce mixture.
Recipe Notes
Corn Stuffed Pork Chops
If you are not a fan of pork chops, you can filet a chicken breast and use the same stuffing recipe. Enjoy!
Ingredients
- 1/4 cup onion chopped
- 1/4 cup green bell pepper chopped
- 1 tsp olive oil
- 3/4 cup corn kernels fresh or frozen, thaw if frozen
- 1 cup chicken stuffing mix low sodium
- 2 tbsp canned, diced pimentos
- 1/8 tsp ground cumin
- 1/8 tsp ground black pepper
- 4 4 ounce extra lean pork chops
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Instructions
- In a large skillet, sauté onion and green pepper in olive oil for 3-4 minutes or until tender.
- Stir in the stuffing mix, corn, pimientos, cumin, and pepper.
- Cut a pocket in each pork chop by making a horizontal slice almost to the bone; fill with stuffing.
- Secure with toothpicks if necessary.
- Place in a baking dish.
- Bake, uncovered, at 375 degrees for 35-40 minutes or until meat juices run clear and meat thermometer reads 160 degrees.
- Discard toothpicks before serving.
Recipe Notes