Bean soup flavored with pesto
A simple pesto sauce adds body and flavor to this soup. Prepared reduced-fat pesto sauce shortens the preparation time.
This recipe calls for acini di pepe, which is a very small pasta that is perfect for soups. You can use orzo, a rice-shaped pasta, or any type of small pasta. You can also use any leftover pasta you have. Break it up into equal-size, small pieces.
Make this a vegetarian meal by using lowsodium vegetable broth.
HELPFUL HINTS
You can substitute Great Northern beans for cannellini beans.
SHOPPING LIST To buy:
1 package frozen chopped onion, 1 package frozen peas, 1 container fat-free, no-salt-added chicken broth, 1 box acini di pepe pasta, 1 can lowsodium cannellini beans, 1 small package chopped pecans, 1 small bottle hot pepper sauce, 1 container reduced-fat pesto sauce, 1 can olive oil spray, 1 bunch fresh basil.
Pesto and Bean Soup
Olive oil spray
1 cup frozen chopped onion
2 1/2 cups fat-free, no-salt-added chicken broth
1 cup water
1/3 cup acini di pepe
pasta
3/4 cup rinsed and drained low-sodium canned cannellini beans
2 tablespoons chopped
pecans
1/2 cup frozen peas Several drops hot pepper
sauce
4 tablespoons reducedfat pesto sauce
1/2 cup fresh basil, torn into bite-size pieces Heat a large saucepan over high heat, and spray with olive oil spray. Add onion, and saute, stirring, 2 minutes. Add chicken broth, water, pasta and beans. Reduce heat to medium, and simmer uncovered 15 minutes. Meanwhile, toast the pecans in a toaster oven or under the broiler. Add peas and hot pepper sauce to the saucepan, and simmer 5 minutes.
Remove soup from heat, and stir in pesto sauce and basil. Serve in 2 soup bowls, and sprinkle pecans on top. Yield 2 servings
Per serving: 474 total calories, 16.6 grams total fat, 2.3 grams saturated fat, 7.7 grams monounsatruated fat, 454 milligrams sodium, 5 milligrams cholesterol, 58.8 grams total carbohydrate, 10.4 grams fiber, 9.6 grams sugars, 24.2 grams protein, 1,019 milligrams potassium, 425 milligrams phosphorous.
Exchanges: 3 1/2 starch, 1 nonstarchy vegetable, 2 lean protein, 2 fat.
— Recipe by Linda Gassenheimer
From “The 12-Week Diabetes Cookbook” by Linda Gassenheimer, published by the American Diabetes Association. Reprinted with permission from the American Diabetes Association. To order, call 1-800-232-6733 or visit shopdiabetes.org.