Simple Sustenance-Minestrone Soup

Making soups and stews is a great way to cut food costs because the ingredients are inexpensive and provide a generous quantity. Soups and stews can be stored in the fridge for several days or in the freezer for several weeks and the flavors will intensify during that time. Soup is also fairly easy to transport so you can take leftovers to the office and save your lunch money. Best of all, soups are an ideal way to get lots of veggies and lean proteins in one meal without tons of fat and calories.

On Saturday, it rained all day long here in D.C. Rain always puts me in a soup mood so I decided to make a light and easy version of minestrone. I skipped out on noodles that you find in traditional recipes and opted for tons of veggies instead.

Ingredients:(makes 4 servings)
veggie broth=$3.00 for a 32. oz carton
3 stalks of celery chopped= $2.29 for a bunch
1 medium yellow onion chopped=$0.62
1 zucchini chopped=$0.52
1 can petite diced tomatoes=$1.55
1 can cannelini beans (rinsed and drained)=$1.19
salt and pepper and italian seasonings (to taste,optional)
TOTAL= $9.21/4=$2.30 per serving

Directions: Heat evoo in a large pot on the stove and add in celery and onions. Cook until tender. Add in zucchini and beans and cook until tender. Add seasoning while cooking veggies (Add salt and pepper to taste. You can also add any dried italian seasonings you like such as oregano, basil, parsley, thyme and red pepper flakes). Add in veggie stock (enough to cover veggies) and tomatoes. Cover pot with a lid and bring the soup up to a boil. Once boiling, turn heat down and let simmer until all veggies are fully cooked and the broth is a tad thicker and tastes the way you want. Serve with a loaf of crusty italian bread and top with a sprinkle of parmesean cheese if you like. This soup hits the spot on a rainy day.

*Tip-since this recipe is so inexpensive to make, feel free to experiment without fear of going over budget. Double your veggies or add pasta or rice to this recipe to make it even heartier. You could even add a little ground turkey or beef for even more flavor.

Other posts you may enjoy:

1. Simple Sustenance-Country Vegetable Soup
2. Simple Sustenance- Butternut Squash and Black Eyed Pea Soup
3. Spicy Bean Soup
4. Bean Tortilla Soup
5. Simple Lentil Soup