Italian style chicken meatball soup

To make the meatballs, squeeze excess moisture from the grated zucchini and add it to a bowl. Into the same bowl, add half the onion, chicken mince, Italian herbs and parsley. Mix well. Using 1 tablespoon of the chicken mixture per meatball, shape into 14 meatballs. Place onto a tray, cover and refrigerate 30 minutes, if time permits (you can make these ahead and leave in the fridge overnight).

Preheat oven 180°C fan-forced. Heat a deep non-stick frying pan over medium heat. Add 1 teaspoon oil and the meatballs, cook, turning the meatballs for 2 minutes, or until golden. Transfer to a tray. Bake in the oven for 6 minutes, or until cooked through.

To make the soup, add remaining 1 teaspoon oil to the pan. Add celery, carrot and the remaining onion. Cook for 3 minutes, stirring often. Add the stock and tomatoes. Bring to gentle boil, and allow to boil for 5 minutes until soup thickens slightly.

Add the meatballs, sliced zucchini and beans to the soup. Cook for 5 minutes until zucchini is cooked through. Remove from the heat, stir in the spinach. Season and serve.

TIP: The soup will keep for 3 days in the fridge. Reheat gently in a saucepan over low-medium heat.