Crockpot Pasta e Fagioli

1 cup diced celery
1 cup frozen green beans
2 small carrots, sliced thin
1 small can diced tomatoes
1/2 cup tomato sauce
1 cup kidney beans, cooked
8 oz cooked small pasta (shells or elbows are great!)
3 tbsp. Olive Oil
1 clove garlic, peeled and minced
1/2 tsp. ground fennel seed
1/2 tsp. ground coriander seed
1 tsp. dried basil (or you could use 1 TBSP fresh!)
1 tsp. dried marjoram
Salt and Pepper to taste
4 cups vegetable broth
Fresh parsley or minced basil for garnish

This is a basic recipe. You can easily adapt to your needs or desires by using freshly picked green beans from the garden, using fresh tomatoes instead of canned, using more vegetable broth to make the soup soupier, etc. I like to serve with freshly baked French bread for dipping in the broth, or, if calories or tight, with a fresh green salad.

Heat the olive oil in a skillet while prepping celery, carrots, and garlic. Add the garlic to the heated oil and cook over medium heat until browned. Add the carrots, celery, and fennel and saute for five minutes. Add the remaining herbs and spices, sauteing briefly. Add everything to the crockpot except for the cooked pasta and frozen green beans. Cook covered on low for 6-8 hours.

Turn the crock pot up to high and add the cooked pasta and frozen green beans for the last 20 minutes of cooking.

Garnish with parsley or basil and a teaspoon or two of parmesan cheese.

Serving Size: 4 1 cup servings

Number of Servings: 4

Recipe submitted by SparkPeople user BETHS614.