Sicilian Chicken Soup with Bow-tie Pasta

1 small yellow onion, diced

2 ribs celery, diced (leaves included)

1 carrot, diced

2 teaspoons olive oil

2 cloves garlic, minced

½ teaspoon salt

¼ teaspoon dried basil

¼ teaspoon dried oregano

¼ teaspoon dried rosemary

¼ teaspoon black pepper

1 tablespoon tomato paste

6 cups (48 ounces) chicken stock (or canned lower-sodium chicken broth)

1 cup bow-tie pasta

1 pound cooked chicken, cubed

2 tablespoons flat-leaf parsley, minced

Salt and pepper to taste

Fresh parsley, chopped for garnish

Saute the onions, celery and carrot in the olive oil in a large stockpot set over medium heat until translucent, about 8 minutes. Add the garlic, salt, basil, oregano, rosemary, pepper and tomato paste, and cook for 2 minutes, stirring constantly.

Add the stock (broth) to the pot and bring to a boil. Add the pasta and cook according to the package instructions until al dente, about 8 minutes. When the pasta is done, stir in the chicken and parsley, and warm through, about 5 minutes longer. Taste and adjust seasonings as necessary with salt and pepper. Garnish with fresh parsley.

Serves four to six.

Nutrition values per serving (assumes six): 217 calories (17 percent from fat), 4.2 g fat (0.9 g saturated), 18.1 g carbohydrates, 1.4 g fiber, 27 g protein, 59 mg cholesterol, 679 mg sodium.

SaltSense: Omitting the ½ teaspoon of added salt reduces sodium per serving to 485 mg. Using no-salt-added chicken broth reduces sodium to 88 mg per serving.

“The Soupbox Cookbook: Sensational Soups for Healthy Living” (Race Point Publishing, 2012)