Crockpot Minestrone Soup

Prep time 20 mins Cook time 8 hours 
Total time 8 hours 20 mins   

A simple crockpot minestrone soup with no beans or pasta. You can leave out the pork for a vegan meal. 
Author: Kendra 
Recipe type: Main 
Cuisine: Italian 
Serves: 6-8 

Ingredients 
2 Tbsp Olive Oil 
1 Yellow Sweet Potato, diced 
1 cup Carrots, diced 
2 Celery Stalks, diced 
2 Zucchini Squash, diced 
2 Shallots, diced 
2 cloves Garlic, minced 
28 oz Chicken or Vegetable Broth 
28 oz can Diced Tomatoes w/ Juice 
½ cup Frozen Spinach -or- 1 cup packed Fresh Spinach, chopped 
2 Bay Leaves 
2 tsp Oregano 
1 tsp Basil 
1 tsp Parsley 
¼ tsp Cayenne Pepper 
¼ tsp Sea Salt 
1-1/2 lb Ground Pork Sausage (optional) 

Instructions 
Place the olive oil in the bottom of the crock pot. Add the prepared sweet potatoes, carrots, celery, zucchini, shallots, and garlic to the crock pot. Pour in the chicken (or vegetable) broth. Add the entire can (including juice) of diced tomatoes. Add the frozen spinach (no need to thaw and drain, just add it frozen). Add in the oregano, basil, parsley, cayenne, and salt. Stir everything together, add the bay leaved, cover, and cook on low for 6-8 hours (I prefer 8 hours). About 2 hours before the soup is done, brown the ground pork sausage, breaking it up into small pieces with the back of a wooden spoon. Once the pork is cooked through (no pink), add it to the crock pot and mix it all together. Remove bay leaves before serving. 

Notes Recipe adapted from the "Paleo Slow Cooking" book by Chrissy Gower

Read more at: http://www.ourpaleolife.com/2013/02/crockpot-paleo-minestrone-soup/