Minestrone Meal San Vito, Italy Style

5 tbsp Extra Virgin Olive OIl
1 cup onions, chopped
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1 celery stalk 10" long, chopped
900 gr zucchini chopped into small cubes ( 1 very large zucchini)
170 g carrots, sliced
500 g green string beans snapped into 1" pieces
3 med. sized ripe tomatoes, diced
3 cups raw potatoes, diced
3 cups of sliced Swiss Chard (called bietola in Italian)
1 cup chicken broth made with no fat chicken stock
2 tbsp fresh chopped parsley
2 tbsp fresh chopped basil
salt & pepper
a little oregano & other herbs you may want to add

I make a big pot and then divide into 1.5 cup containers

1. Brown the garlic and onion with the olive oil.
2. Add the zucchini and the celery and cook on low-medium heat.
3. Add the carrots, string beans, and potatoes.
4. Once slightly browned, add the diced tomatoes, swiss chard and the chicken broth plus all your spices and herbs.

The swiss chard needs to be washed properly and the leafy part and the stalk "celery looking" part are both eaten.

You can boil some small pasta and add it to the minestrone to make it a more heartier meal.

Number of Servings: 10

Recipe submitted by SparkPeople user SAGITTARIUS69.