Visit us each Thursday for our healthy, fun recipe of the week. Send us your favorite yummiest and healthy recipe. If we publish it, you’ll win a $25 Gift Certificate to our online store. Send recipe to Brittney@milestonessportsjewelry.com .

The winter months are the perfect time for soup. Make this Garden Minestrone to keep warm and get your veggies in!

Garden Minestrone

Serves 8

Ingredients

2 teaspoons olive oil

1 cup chopped onion

2 teaspoons chopped fresh oregano

4 garlic cloves, minced

3 cups chopped yellow squash

3 cups chopped zucchini

1 cup chopped carrot

1 cup fresh corn kernels (about 2 ears)

4 cups chopped tomato, divided

3 (14-ounce) cans fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth, divided

1/2 cup uncooked ditalini pasta (very short tube-shaped macaroni)

1 (15.5-ounce) can Great Northern beans, rinsed and drained

1 (6-ounce) package fresh baby spinach

3/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1 cup (4 ounces) grated Asiago cheese

Coarsely ground black pepper (optional)

Directions

Heat oil in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add onion to pan; sauté 3 minutes or until softened. Add oregano and garlic; sauté 1 minute. Stir in squash, zucchini, carrot, and corn; sauté 5 minutes or until vegetables are tender. Remove from heat.

Place 3 cups tomato and 1 can broth in a blender; process until smooth. Add tomato mixture to pan; return pan to heat. Stir in remaining 1 cup tomato and remaining 2 cans broth; bring mixture to a boil. Reduce heat, and simmer 20 minutes.

Add pasta and beans to pan; cook 10 minutes or until pasta is tender, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat. Stir in spinach, salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Ladle soup into individual bowls; top with cheese. Garnish with coarsely ground black pepper, if desired.