Tuscan Bean Soup
Prep: 10 minutes
Cook: 40 minutes • Serves: 6
1 cup chopped Market 32 carrots
1 cup chopped celery
1 cup chopped yellow onion
1 PICS bay leaf
3 garlic cloves, minced
3 cans (15.5 ounces each) PICS no salt added chickpeas, PICS red kidney beans and/or PICS white cannellini beans, rinsed and drained
3 cups PICS unsalted chicken stock
2 cups PICS tomato purée
1/2 cup packed chopped kale greens or Full Circle baby spinach
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons PICS grated Parmesan cheese
Chopped fresh parsley for garnish (optional)
1. In a large soup pot, cook and stir bacon over medium heat 5 minutes or until crisp; drain excess bacon fat. Add carrots, celery, onion and bay leaf; cook and stir, then cover, 5 minutes. Add garlic; cook and stir, then cover 30 seconds or until vegetables are almost tender.
2.Stir in beans, chicken stock and tomato purée; cover and heat to a simmer over medium-high heat. Reduce heat to medium-low; cook 20 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add kale; cook 5 minutes or until wilted. Remove bay leaf; stir in lemon juice and pepper then garnish with Parmesan cheese and parsley, if desired. Makes about 9 cups.
Approximate nutritional values per serving (1-1/2 cups):
302 Calories, 6g Fat (2g Saturated), 12mg Cholesterol,
534mg Sodium, 45g Carbohydrates, 10g Fiber, 20g Protein