WW Crockpot Minestrone Soup | 3.5 pts

So, I put on the obligatory five pounds between Thanksgiving and New Year, so I'm back on Weight Watchers until my pants don't cut off my circulation, and I've decreased my muffin top to manageable proportions. I've been making a slew of WW recipes and this was one that I really enjoyed and that Chris thought was great as well, always good when the husband will eat your diet food with you so you don't have to make two different dinners at night.


Question. I love going to get pedicures, and because I run 6 days a week my feet tend to get nasty pretty quick, and by nasty I mean, callused, blistered, skin build-up (hungry yet) you know, just in general not attractive. I love my nail salon, I'm there every three weeks, so they are familiar with me and remember what nail color I use, they actually gave me a bottle of my favorite color once so that I could do touch ups at home when the color stared chipping. I think my ladies are great, but I can't help but think that when I'm sitting in the pedicure chair and they are working away at my calluses and they start talking to each other in their native language...I always think they are commenting about how nasty my feet are, and if one starts laughing, forget it, I'm convinced that they are talking about my nasty snaggle toe, the one I damaged while running my second marathon, the one that will never look normal again. Am I paranoid, does anyone else feel this way when they are at the pedicure place?


Okay, back to the soup. Delicious, but only if you like rosemary because this recipe is literally rife with it. But, it's hearty and warm and perfect for a winter evening, and at 3.5 pounds, pair it with a nice piece of crusty bread and you've got yourself an awesome meal at just 5 points.


I got the recipe from a Weight Watchers Blog website called Skinny Weight Watchers Recipes.
Here's the LINK

Crock Pot Minestrone Soup
Gina's Weight Watcher Recipes
Servings: 6 • Serving Size: 1 1/2 cups • Calories: 232 • Points: 3.5

• 1/2 onion, chopped
• 1 cup carrots, chopped
• 1 celery stalk, chopped
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 (28 oz) can diced tomatoes
• 1 (15 oz) can white beans, drained, rinsed (cannellini or navy)
• 3 cups fat free chicken broth (or vegetable broth for vegetarians)
• 1 oz chunk of good Parmesan cheese rind
• 1 fresh rosemary sprig
• 2 bay leaves
• 2 tbsp chopped fresh basil
  
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh Italian parsley leaves
• salt and fresh pepper
• 1 medium zucchini, chopped
• 2 cups chopped fresh or frozen (defrosted) spinach
• 2 cups cooked small pasta like ditalini or elbows (al dente)
• extra parmesan cheese to top

Rinse and drain beans. Puree beans with 1 cup of the broth in a blender.

In a crock pot, combine broth, tomatoes, pureed beans, carrots, celery, onion, garlic, herbs, Parmesan cheese rind, salt and pepper. Cover and cook on low for 6 to 8 hours.

Forty minutes before the soup is done cooking, add zucchini and spinach. Cover and cook 30 more minutes. Add cooked pasta, cook 10 minutes more. Remove bay leaves, rosemary sprig, parmesan rind and season to taste with salt and black pepper. Ladle soup into bowls and top with extra parmesan cheese.