FOUR SEASONS BREEZE | FEBRUARY 2020 17
By Irene Welker
The winter season is upon us and there is nothing better than a steaming bowl of
delicious soup to counter the cool, windy, wet weather. Here is a
recipe that fits the bill. A hearty and healthy vegetable soup that
is delicious and takes less than an hour to make. Serve with
a warm crusty bread such as Italian or French. The recipe
was developed by Ellie Krieger, a dietician and nutritionist.
Tuscan Vegetable Soup
INGREDIENTS
1 (15 ounce) can low-sodium canellini beans, drained and rinsed
1 to 3 Tablespoons olive oil, enough to coat the bottom of your soup pan
½ large onion, diced (about 1 Cup)
2 carrots, diced (about ½ Cup)
2 stalks celery, diced (about1/2 Cup)
1 medium zucchini, diced (about 1 ½- 2 Cups)
1 clove garlic, minced
1 Tablespoon chopped fresh thyme leaves (or 1 teaspoon dried leaves)
2 teaspoons chopped fresh sage leaves (or ½ teaspoon dried leaves)
½ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
32 ounces low-sodium chicken broth or vegetable broth
1 (14.5 ounce) can no salt added diced tomatoes
2 Cups chopped baby spinach leaves
1/3 Cup freshly grated Parmesan for topping, optional
DIRECTIONS
1. In a small bowl, mash half
of the beans with a masher
or the back of a spoon. Set aside.
2. Heat the oil in a large soup pot over medium-
high heat. Add the onion, carrots, celery,
zucchini, garlic, thyme, sage, salt and pepper.
Cook stirring occasionally until the vegetables
are tender, about 5 minutes.
3. Add the broth and tomatoes with the juice and
bring to a boil. Add the mashed and whole
beans and the spinach. Cook until the spinach
is wilted, about three to five minutes more.
4. Serve topped with Parmesan cheese and crusty
bread.
