Recipe for Minestrone Soup in the Slow Cooker

I have tried this recipe a couple of times now and it is absolutely delicious and very low calorie. The recipe says it serves 4 although I split mine into 5 portions and that comes out to 146 calories per bowl!

Hope some other peeps can enjoy it too

1 tbsp olive oil
1 onion, chopped
1 carrot, diced
2 smoked streaky bacon rashers, diced
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
4 tomatoes, skinned and chopped
2 celery stick, diced
2 small courgettes, diced
3 tsp pesto
1.2 litres (2 pints) vegetable stock
75g (3oz) purple sprouting broccoli, stems and florets cut into small pieces
40g (1.5oz) tiny soup pasta
Salt and pepper

Heat the oil in a large frying pan, add the onion, carrot and bacon and fry, stirring, until lightly browned.
Add the garlic, then stir in the tomatoes, celery and courgettes and cook for 1-2 mins.
Stir in the pesto and stock, then add a little salt and Pepper and bring to the boil, stirring.
Pour in to the slow cooker pot, cover with the lid and cook on low for 6-8 hours or until the vegetables are tender.
Add the broccoli and pasta, replace the lid and cook on high for 15-30 minutes or until the pasta is tender.
Stir well, taste and adjust the seasoning if needed, then ladle into your soup bowls.

Obviously the crusty bread you serve it with isn't counted in the 146 calories
Enjoy