Wouldn’t it be nice if we all had hours to spend in our kitchen cooking every day? I often think back to my life as a single, 20-something, when I had time to experiment with recipes. I would spend hours experimenting with new recipes. Three kids and a career later, I feel accomplished when I shower and comb my hair.
Living healthy on the go involves finding recipes that are quick, easy and nourishing; even better if you can get all of that in one meal. That’s exactly what makes this hearty, homemade soup a homerun. It’s packed full of lean protein, healthy carbohydrates and phytonutrients, while keeping the fat content low.
Load your insulated food jar with a serving or two, then head out the door with a wholesome meal.
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If you try this recipe, let us know what you think. Leave a comment below, or share a picture of your finished product on social media. Tag #HeatherMangieri or @heathermangieri on IG.
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Ingredients:
Meatballs:
- 1-pound Ground Turkey
- 1 small onion
- 2 tsp minced garlic
- 1 tsp oil
- ¼ tsp pepper
Soup:
- 4 ½ cups pasta, whole wheat (cooked according to box)
- 1 (14.5-oz) can cannelloni beans
- 1 (14.5-oz) can, no salt added, stewed tomatoes, undrained
- 4 cups (or more) aby spinach, raw
- 2 cups water
- 4 cups chicken broth, low-sodium
- 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
- 1/2 tsp salt
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Instructions:
- Cook pasta according to the directions. Set aside.
- Combine the ground turkey, diced onion, minced garlic and pepper in a large bowl. Mix well. Roll into mini meatballs and set on parchment paper.
- In a large pot, combine water, low-sodium chicken broth, salt, stewed tomatoes and cannellini beans. Bring to a boil.
- Heat oil in a large sauté pan. Add the mini meatballs to the oil and brown on all sides. Once sautéed, add turkey meatballs to the soup pot. Reduce-heat and simmer for 20 minutes to combine flavors.
- Add spinach. Simmer an additional 10 minutes.
- Add cooked pasta to the soup, stir and serve immediately. Sprinkle with shredded mozzarella.
*To prevent the pasta from over-cooking, do not add to the soup until the very end. If you are making this soup for the entire week, I recommend storing the pasta separately, then adding to the soup right before eating.
*Dairy-free: Omit cheese
*Gluten-free: substitute gluten-free pasta
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Recipe Makes: 7 Servings Serving Size: 1 ½ cups
Pairing Recommendation: Serve whole-grain crackers or a piece of fruit
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Nutrition Facts (per serving): 310 Calories, 37 Carbohydrates, 8 Fiber, 30 Protein, 6 Total Fat, 3 Saturated Fat, 600 mg Sodium, 4 mg daily iron, 208 mg daily calcium, 225 mg daily potassium.
Nutrition CheckUp Meal Planning Serving: = 2.5 CHO; 4 PRO; 1 FAT
