End of Summer Pasta Fasulu

Serves 4 to 6.

Note: While some recipes suggest cooking the pasta before adding it to the soup, here the small shaped pasta add just enough starch to give the stock body. Be sure to wait until the pasta is nearly cooked before adding the vegetables so they retain a little texture. Add the cooked beans right before serving. From Beth Dooley.

• 1 tbsp. olive oil

• 1/2 c. chopped onions

• 1 garlic clove, crushed

• 1 tbsp. chopped fresh thyme

• 6 c. chicken or vegetable stock

• 1 bay leaf

• 1/2 c. small pasta (elbow, stars, orzo)

• 1 large carrot, diced

• 1/2 c. diced zucchini

• 1/2 c. diced green beans

• 1 small red pepper, seeded and diced

• 2 large kale leaves, diced

• 1/2 c. garbanzo or white beans, drained

• Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

• Pinch red pepper flakes, to taste

• 1/4 c. shredded Parmesan or Asiago cheese, or more to taste

Directions

Film a large soup pot with the oil, set over medium heat and add the onion, garlic and thyme. Sauté, stirring until the vegetables are soft, about 3 minutes. Stir in the stock and bay leaf and bring to a boil.

Add the pasta, reduce the heat to a slow boil and stir; cook until the pasta is just beginning to become tender, about 5 to 8 minutes. Stir in the carrot, zucchini, green beans, pepper and kale and cook until the vegetables are tender-crisp, about 6 to 8 minutes. Stir in the beans. Season with salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes to taste.

Remove and discard the bay leaf, and serve garnished with the cheese.

Nutrition information per each of 6 servings:

Calories 165 Fat 6 g Sodium 235 mg Saturated fat 2 g

Carbohydrates 20 g Total sugars 3 g

Protein 10 g Cholesterol 3 mg Dietary fiber 3 g

Exchanges per serving: ½ starch, 1 carb, 1 lean protein, ½ fat.