Tortellini Minestrone

I love Pinterest!  Mostly just for food and drink inspiration.  Desserts are my favorite, but I do have a family to feed so I have to branch out.  I found this recipe a week ago and I've been dying for an evening without basketball practice or gymnastic lessons so I could try it.  

I put all the ingredients together except the tortellini and let it simmer on low heat while I went running.  An hour later I added a little extra broth to accommodate the longer cooking time, brought it back to a boil, then added the tortellini and cooked for 7 minutes.  
Matt loves it when I find yummy, healthy dinners.  He's really into healthy eating on weeknights and this tasty soup satisfied us all.  I don't like vegetable soup, but the oregano and tortellini really made it yummy, and the pesto topping put it at a whole new level!  That is a must-do step.
Husband approved!  (I don't think he realized there was NO MEAT in this meal! GASP!)

Tortellini Minestrone 1 Tbs olive oil 2 carrots, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch pieces
2 stalks of celery, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
1 medium onion, diced
5 oz mushrooms, sliced 
4 garlic cloves, minced
1 Tbsp oregano 3 1/2 cups low-sodium chicken broth
3 1/2 cups V8 vegetable juice
1 (15-oz) can cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
1 (9-oz) package fresh cheese tortellini (preferably whole wheat)
1 medium zucchini, quartered lengthwise, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
salt and ground black pepper
1/2 cup pesto (homemade, or if store-bought, use the refrigerated variety)
grated Parmesan, for serving

Heat the olive oil in a large Dutch oven over medium heat.  Stir in the carrots, celery, and onions, 1/4 teaspoon of salt, and black pepper to taste.  Cook until just softened, 3-5 minutes.  Stir in the mushrooms, and cook until all the vegetables are softened, 5-6 more minutes.  Add the garlic and oregano and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds.

Stir in the broth, scraping up any browned bits.  Stir in the vegetable juice and beans and bring to a boil.  Reduce the heat to a simmer and cook about 10 minutes.

Add the tortellini and zucchini and continue to simmer until they are cooked through and tender, 5-7 minutes.

Season with salt and pepper to taste.  Divide among serving bowls and top each portion with a spoonful of pesto and a sprinkling of Parmesan before serving.
Source:  Cook Like a Champion via Pink Parsley originally from Cook's Illustrated