Olive Oil
Olive oil can lower blood pressure, reverse abnormal cholesterol, and prevent damage to arteries. Olive oil should be extra virgin, or cold press. This is the pure and more beneficial part of the oil.
Tomatoes
Tomatoes contain lycopene, a substance with powerful antioxidant properties. Tomatoes can decrease your risk of depositing “bad” cholesterol inside arteries (plaque formation) and future heart attacks..
More information on heart-healthy ingredients can be found here.
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 30 minutes
Ingredients:
- 3 Tbsp olive oil
- 1 large yellow onion
- 2 carrots
- 1 zucchini
- 4 ounces whole green beans
- 2 stalks celery
- 6 cups water
- ½ cup elbow macaroni
- 1 14-ounce can chopped tomatoes, no salt added
- 1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves or ½ teaspoon dried thyme
- 1 14-ounce can kidney beans, low sodium
- salt and black pepper
Preparation:
Dice vegetables to ½-inch size. Heat the oil in a pan over medium heat. Add all the fresh vegetables and heat until sizzling. Then cover, lower the heat, and simmer the vegetables for 15 minutes.
Add the water, tomatoes, herbs, and seasoning (go easy on the salt). Bring to boil, put the lid back, and simmer for about 30 minutes. Add the beans and their liquid together with the pasta, and simmer for 10 more minutes until the pasta is tender. Taste the yummy soup you just made. If it needs more seasoning, go ahead and add some.
More recipes and information on the Mediterranean diet can be found here.
