Jono & Jules do food & wine

Really good for you, low fat and fills you up.

Minestrone – to serve 4

• 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• 1 onion, chopped
• 1 clove of garlic, crushed
• 1 carrot, finely diced
• 2 celery sticks, sliced
• 850ml chicken stock
• 2 large tomatoes, deseeded and chopped
• handful of spinach, chopped
• 400g tin red kidney beans, drained
• 25g small pasta shells (or any other small pasta shape)
• 1 small courgette, diced
• 2 tbsp basil

Heat the olive oil over a medium heat in a large saucepan. Add the onion, garlic, carrot and celery. Sauté for about 5 minutes, or until the vegetables have softened.

Add the stock, tomatoes, spinach, beans and pasta. Bring to the boil, then cover and simmer for 10 minutes.

Add the courgettes and continue to cook with the lid on for another 5 minutes.

Take off the heat, stir in the basil and season with lots of black pepper.