Italian Wedding Soup

I was feeling a bit under the weather this morning so I decided to whip up a batch of flavorful soup. Wedding soup is a mistranslation of the italian phrase ministra maritata which literally translated means "married soup", referring to the fact that green veggies and meat go so well together.

My version eliminates most of the fat and salt of the traditional recipe and adds some additional protein and fiber. I substitute kale for spinach or escarole because kale is a bit tougher and more flavorful. It holds its texture well and compliments the spicy meatballs. This savory soup is the ultimate winter comfort food, but each generous serving has less than 300 calories!

Full recipe after the jump!



Ingredients:

Meatballs:

1/2 lb ground white meat chicken or turkey
1/2 lb spicy italian chicken sausage, casing removed
1/3 cup whole wheat bread-crumbs
2 tbsp grated parmesano reggiano cheese
1 egg
2 tbsp fresh italian flat leaf parsley, chopped (1 tbsp dried may be substituted)
salt and pepper


Soup:

1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 tsp minced garlic
1 medium onion chopped
2 large carrots, chopped
2 large stalks of celery, chopped
1.5 cups small whole wheat pasta (i used elbows, but stars or tubes work as well)
1 tbsp tomato paste (or 1 cup fresh chopped tomatoes)
32 oz organic low-sodium chicken broth
16 oz water
2 cups fresh kale, coarsely chopped
1 tbsp fresh rosemary, chopped (1 tsp dried may be substituted)
1 tbsp fresh italian flat leaf parsley, chopped (1 tbsp dried may be substituted)
1 tsp red pepper flakes
salt and pepper


Step by Step Instructions:
(makes 6 generous servings)

1. Preheat over to 350

2. In a large bowl, combine ground chicken, sausage, bread-crumbs, egg, parsley and cheese

3. Season with salt and pepper

4. Knead mixture until thoroughly mixed. Try not to overwork.

5. Form mixture into small balls - here I used a teaspoon, each ball should be around 1-1.5" wide

6. Place meatballs on greased baking sheet, carefully spacing about an inch apart

7. Bake meatballs for 10-12 minutes, until cooked through

8. Set aside cooked meatballs

8. Sauté garlic, onion, celery, and carrot in olive oil until slightly soft, about 5 minutes

9. Season with salt, pepper and red pepper flakes

10. Add tomato paste, chicken broth and water and simmer 10 minutes

11. Add pasta and cooked meatballs and cook covered on medium heat for 15 minutes

12. While pasta is cooking, chop fresh herbs

13. When pasta is cooked, add kale, rosemary, and parsley and simmer uncovered for 10 minutes

14. Garnish with parmesan cheese and parsley and serve!

Nutrition Info:
1 serving = approx. 2 cups of soup
296 calories
5g fat
22g protein
5g fiber