We are officially in that awkward holiday time between Christmas and New Years.
This week is still full of holiday cheer and parties (yay!), but we are slowly getting back to normal. Because while I firmly believe that ALL FOODS FIT into a healthy diet, it is time to start getting back to my normal eating schedule/patterns.
Which includes hearty, veggie-packed soups.
Like this Hearty Cannellini Bean Soup.
It is full of vegetables, cannellini beans, and a bit of bacon, which allows me to fill up on veggie-goodness (and still have room for one more cinnamon roll!).
Because balance, guys…
This Hearty Cannellini Bean Soup starts with some bacon.
Because bacon is delicious! I browned up a couple of slices (that I diced) in a heavy-bottomed soup pot.
When they were perfectly crisp, I removed the bacon.
And dumped in the veggies – carrots, onions, and celery. Cook the veggies until tender and golden.
When the vegetable were cooked, I added in some garlic, fresh thyme, salt, and pepper. Cook for an additional minute until the garlic is fragrant.
Pour in some low sodium chicken broth.
And toss in a couple cans of low sodium white cannellini beans that have been drained and rinsed. Stir everything together, bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer and cook for 20 minutes until the beans are tender and warmed through.
To thicken the soup slightly, I used my stick blender to blend up a bit of the soup. No stick blender? No problem! Portion about a cup of the soup into a blender or food processor and blend until smooth – add back into the soup pot and stir to combine!
Toss in almost all the bacon pieces.
And serve it up! I like to top it with some bacon and a sprig of thyme!
Yum!
Healthy, hearty, and absolutely delicious.
So, what are you up to this week?
Your soup makin’ friend,
Catherine
- 3 slices bacon, diced
- 1 large onion, chopped
- 3 medium-sized carrots, diced
- 4 stalks celery, diced
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- Leaves from 3-4 springs of fresh thyme
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- 32oz low-sodium chicken broth
- 2-15oz cans low-sodium canned cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
- In a large heavy-bottomed soup pot set over medium heat, cook up the bacon until crisp. Remove the bacon from the pot to drain on a paper towel-lined plate.
- Add in the onion, carrot, and celery to the pot. Cook for 3-4 minutes until tender and golden. Add in the garlic, thyme, salt, and pepper. Cook for an additional minute until the garlic is fragrant.
- Pour in the chicken broth - stir to combine.
- Add in the beans. Bring the soup to a boil, then reduce to a simmer and cook for 20 minutes until the beans are tender and warmed through.
- Using a stick blender, blend up a portion of the soup. No stick blender? Add a cup of the soup to a standard blender or food processor and blend until smooth. Pour the blended soup back into the soup pot. Stir to combine.
- Add in most of the bacon, reserving some for garnish. Serve immediately and top with remaining bacon and a sprig of fresh thyme!
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