Vegetable Bean Soup
A soup that's hearty and filling, plus it provides a nice amount of protein and fiber.
- 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
- ½ cup chopped onion
- ½ cup chopped carrots
- ½ cup chopped celery
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- 6 cups water
- 1 8-ounce can tomato sauce
- 1 14.5-ounce can light red kidney beans, rinsed and drained
- 1 15-ounce can black-eyed peas, rinsed and drained
- 1 14.5-ounce can French-style green beans, drained
- 1 cup chopped yellow summer squash, unpeeled
- ½ tablespoon chili powder
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/8 teaspoon pepper
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
Heat olive oil over medium heat in a large saucepan. Add onions, carrots, and celery. Cook until vegetables are softened. Add garlic, and cook for 1 minute, stirring constantly so garlic doesn’t burn.
Pour in water and all remaining ingredients. Bring to a boil, and then lower heat. Simmer, uncovered, 30 minutes. Discard bay leaf and stir in parsley before serving.
Yield: 8 servings (serving size: about 1 ¼ cups)
- Use 2 cups chopped fresh haricots vert beans instead of canned green beans. Haricot vert beans resemble regular green beans. However, they are a bit more slender and long , and they are also stringless (a nice benefit). When lightly cooked, haricot verts are tender, crispy, and very tasty, with a hint of sweetness.