Wegmans Slow Cooked Beef Minestrone

NBC4's Health and Fitness Expo is coming to the Washington Convention Center on March 10 and 11.

You can watch cooking demonstrations at the Expo's Cooking 4 You stage.

Here's a recipe for slow-cooked beef minestrone soup that Wegmans will showcase at the Expo:

Slow-Cooked Beef Minestrone Soup - Low Sodium, Low-Calorie, Lean

Health

Serves: 8

Active Time: 20 minutes, Total Time: 4 hours 50 minutes to 9 hours 5 minutes

Ingredients:

1 1/2 lbs Wegmans Boneless Beef Chuck Roast, cut in 1-inch cubes

1 pkg (16 oz) Food You Feel Good About Cleaned & Cut Minestrone Soup Vegetables

Salt and pepper to taste

1 container (32 oz) Food You Feel Good About Beef Culinary Stock

1 can (14.5 oz) Wegmans Italian Style Diced Tomatoes

1 container (24 oz) Italian Classics Seasoned Tomato Sauce (Dairy Dept)

1/2 cup Italian Classics Ditalini Rigati Pasta, uncooked

1 can (15.5 oz) Food You Feel Good About Garbanzo Beans, rinsed, drained

1 pkg (6 oz) Food You Feel Good About Fresh Baby Spinach

You'll need: 6-8-quart slow cooker

1. Add beef, veggies, salt, pepper, stock, tomatoes, and sauce to 6-8 qt slow cooker.

2. Cover; cook on HIGH 4 hours or LOW 8 hours. Add dry pasta and beans; cook another 30 min on HIGH or 45 min on LOW.

3. Add spinach to slow cooker; stir about 2 min until wilted.

Chef Tips:

• Pasta can be cooked per pkg directions and added along with spinach.

• For deeper flavor, try searing beef before adding to slow cooker.

• Try using stew beef in place of chuck roast.

Nutrition Info:

Each serving (1 1/2 cups; about 13 oz) contains 300 Calories, 24 g Carbohydrate (5 g Fiber, 0 g Estimated Added Sugar), 19 g Protein, 14 g Fat (6 g Saturated Fat), 50 mg Cholesterol, 430 mg Sodium