Soup soup soup soup soup

Confession? I normally don’t really care for soup. It’s too…soupy. I like solid-knife-and-fork-chew-ya-food kind of stuff.

But with the weather getting cooler and the leaves falling and me being the ultimate basic girl, I do like the idea of a warm soup. This one floats my boat just fine because of the meatball factor. OH YES. We’re doing more meatballs.

Meatball Florentine Soup

-2 boxes low sodium chicken or vegetable broth

-1 can cannellini beans, drained and rinsed

-1 28 oz can diced tomatoes

-1 batch chicken meatballs (can substitute frozen pre-made meatballs)

-1 ½ cups uncooked pasta

-3 cups baby spinach

-1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

-1/2 teaspoon onion powder

-1/2 teaspoon Italian seasoning

-1 teaspoon dried parsley

-1/4 teaspoon black pepper

-shredded Parmesan cheese for topping, if desired

I tend to cook meatballs in bulk and freeze them- so easy to whip this up quickly on a weeknight, plus it requires minimal fresh ingredients (you could even swap out frozen spinach for the fresh).

In a Dutch oven or large pot over medium heat, combine broth, beans, can of diced tomatoes (with liquid), and seasonings. Once broth starts simmering, add pasta and meatballs. Cook until pasta is tender. Stir in spinach- it will wilt almost immediately. Serve.

Don't worry- my kitchen is just as messy as yours. 

Makes 6 servings. Per serving: 375 calories, 41 g carbs, 9 g fat, 31 g protein.

Italian Chicken Meatballs

-1 lb ground chicken

-1/3 cup whole grain breadcrumbs

-1 egg

-2 teaspoons dried or fresh chopped parsley

-1/3 cup shredded Parmesan cheese

-1/4 teaspoon salt

-1/4 teaspoon pepper

-1/4 teaspoon Italian seasoning

Combine all ingredients in a bowl. Form into 1” balls and bake at 350 for ~30 minutes or until internal temperature registers at least 165 degrees.