Ingredients
| Quantity | Ingredients |
|---|---|
| 1 tbsp / 15 ml | olive oil |
| 2 cups / 500 ml | finely diced carrot |
| 1 cup / 250 ml | finely chopped onion |
| 1 cup / 250 ml | diced celery |
| 4 | garlic cloves, crushed |
| 6 cups / 1.5 L | water or low sodium chicken broth |
| 1 tsp / 5 ml | sea salt, or to taste |
| 2 | bay leaves |
| 2 cups / 500 ml | coarsely chopped spinach or baby spinach |
| MEATBALLS | |
| 0.5 lb / 225 g | extra lean ground beef or ground turkey |
| 1/2 cup / 125 ml | finely chopped parsley |
| 3 tbsp / 50 ml | whole wheat bread crumbs |
| 1 | large egg |
| 1/2 tsp / 2 ml | dried basil |
| freshly ground pepper, to taste |
Directions
In a large mixing bowl, combine ground meat, parsley, breadcrumbs, egg, basil and pepper. Using the palm of your hand, roll mixture into 1-inch (2.5 cm) balls. Set aside.
In a large saucepan, heat oil over medium heat. When pan is hot, add carrot, onions and celery; sauté for 10 minutes, or until vegetables are soft. Add garlic; sauté for another minute.
Add water, salt and bay leaves; bring to a boil over high heat. Gently add the meatballs to the soup, and continue to boil for 5 minutes without stirring.
Cover, reduce heat, and simmer for 25 minutes. Add spinach and cooked pasta to soup; stir and continue to cook for 5 minutes until spinach is wilted and pasta is heated through. (If using baby spinach, add during the last minute of cooking.)
Serves 6.
Nutrition Facts
| Serving Size | Per 1 serving (analyzed with extra lean beef meatballs) |
| Calories | 172 |
| Cholesterol | 48 |
| Carbohydrates | 17 |
| Fiber | 3 |
| Fat | 6 |
| Saturated Fat | 2 |
| Trans Fat | 0 |
| Sodium | 520 |
Source: Leslie Beck's Healthy Kitchen