Low-Fat Low Cal Crock Pot Pasta Fagioli

I developed this to have a nice tasting, but fairly low fat/calorie pasta dinner. Not necessarily traditional, but very tasty. Use enough broth to make it as thick or thin as you like it.

• Ready In: 9 hrs 30 mins
• Serves: 8

Ingredients

• 1  lb  sweet Italian turkey sausage (bulk or removed from casings)
• 1  medium onion, diced small
• 1  cup dried great northern beans or 1  cup cranberry beans
• 3  large carrots, sliced 1/4 inch thick
• 2  cups small shell pasta (shells or ditalini)
• 1 (6 ounce) can tomato paste
• 1 (28 ounce) can crushed tomatoes
• 3 -4  cups vegetable broth (I use fat free)
• 2  beef bouillon cubes (or vegetable)
• 1  teaspoon  italian seasoning
• 1  teaspoon salt
• 1  teaspoon dried parsley
•  freshly grated parmesan cheese (to garnish)

Directions

1. Soak beans overnight.
2. In the morning (or do this step the night before) brown the turkey sausage and the diced onion.
3. Drain and rinse and put in the crock pot.
4. Add the broth, beans, carrot, herbs, salt& pepper and crushed tomatoes.
5. Cook on low for 9 hours.
6. Half hour before you think it is done, bring a pot of water to boil and cook the pasta to al dente.
7. Drain and rinse to cut down on the starch in your soup.
8. Stir the tomato paste into the crock pot and then fold in the pasta.
9. Cook for another 1/2 hour.
10. Serve in nice bowls with a topping of freshly grated Parmesan and maybe a sprig of basil.
11. ENJOY!