Minestrone Soup 28 pro points

1 tablespoon oil (9 pro points)
1 onion, finely chopped
2 stalks celery, finely chopped (around 1 cup)
1 leek, quartered lengthwise, rinsed and finely chopped
2 zucchini, quartered lengthwise and chopped
2 cabbage leaves finely sliced (optional)
1/2 red capsicum (bell pepper), deseeded and finely chopped
2 carrots, finely peeled and finely chopped
2 rashers bacon, chopped (2 pro points)
2 x 400g cans chopped tomatoes
4 cups chicken stock (4 pro points)
1 teaspoon sugar (1 pro points)
420g can white beans (use cannellini, butter or haricot beans) – drained (6 pro points)
1/3 cup small pasta (risoni, alphabets, tiny macaroni - whatever you can find) (6 pro points)
Fresh parsley, chopped
Salt and pepper

Heat the oil in a large saucepan and add the onion, garlic, celery, bacon and leek and stir until beginning to soften. Add the other vegetables and cook over a gentle heat for around 10 minutes, stirring frequently, until vegetables begin to soften. Add the tomatoes, stock, sugar, salt and pepper and simmer for 10 minutes or until vegetables are cooked to your liking.

When the vegetables are tender add the beans, pasta and parsley and simmer a further 10 minutes, stirring frequently. Taste and add salt or pepper to taste.
Serve sprinkled with grated parmesan cheese.