Beef and Cannellini Bean Minestrone

I know it's getting hotter outside, but in my attempt to clear out all of the abundance of food I have in the freezer and pantry, I found it easiest to cook a soup. Plus, this is the best way for me to get the kids to eat their veggies without knowing it! I plan on serving this at room temperature so that it's not too overwhelming for the hotter weather. I also added some baby pasta shells straight out of the Organic Annie's Shells & Cheese box. They cooked right with the soup. Easy peezy!

In fact, once I let this simmer down and sit for a while it came out really thick...Almost like a pasta dish that's not so soupy.

Beef and Cannellini Bean Minestrone
Recipe courtesy Giada De Laurentiis

Ingredients
•3 tablespoons olive oil
•1 onion, finely diced
•1 large carrot, peeled and diced into 1/4-inch pieces
•1 rib celery, trimmed and diced into 1/4-inch pieces
•Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
•8 ounces lean (8 percent fat) ground beef
•3 garlic cloves, minced
•1 tablespoon tomato paste
•4 cups low-sodium beef broth
•1 (28-ounce) can diced tomatoes
•1 (15-ounce) can cannellini beans, rinsed and drained
•1 dried bay leaf
•1/2 cup grated Parmesan

Directions
In a large saucepan or Dutch oven, add the oil and heat over medium heat. Stir in the onion, carrot and celery and season with salt and pepper, to taste. Cook, stirring frequently, until the vegetables are soft, about 5 minutes. Increase the heat to high and add the ground beef and garlic. Season with salt and pepper, to taste. Cook until the beef is browned and cooked through, about 6 to 7 minutes. Stir in the tomato paste and mix to combine. Add the broth, tomatoes, beans, and bay leaf. Bring the mixture to a boil. Reduce the heat to a simmer and cook until the liquid has reduced by half, about 30 minutes. Remove the bay leaf and discard. Season with salt and pepper, to taste. Ladle the soup into bowls and garnish with Parmesan