Soup – Healthy, Hearty and Quick

Winter and soup just seem to go together but don’t even consider that watered down, canned stuff when you can dish out real soup made with heart healthy olive oil and fiber from the onions and vegetables that satisfy your tastes and appetite. This recipe only takes a few minutes to prepare and is perfect for busy days when you need real food but don’t have a lot of time.

Beef Bean Soup

Ingredients in order of use:

2 tablespoons olive oil
½ cup chopped onion
1 tsp of prepared minced garlic or 1 clove fresh garlic
1 lb of lean ground beef or ground pork
1 cup of beef broth
1 small can of chopped tomatoes
1 15 oz can of kidney beans
1 15 oz can of whole kernel corn
½ to 1 tsp of Chili seasoning to taste
½ cup of finely chopped cabbage

Sauté onions in olive oil in a 2 quart saucepan until onions are transparent; add garlic and ground meat. If using whole garlic, mash the clove before adding to mixture. Continue to sauté until meat is done. Add beef broth and canned tomatoes. Rinse and drain kidney beans, drain corn, and add chili seasoning to mixture. Cook at a low simmer until beans and corn are heated through. Add cabbage and cook just until cabbage is wilted. Serve immediately.

Serve with a dollop of sour cream and shredded cheddar cheese sprinkled over the soup if desired. Add corn muffins or corn bread or hot rolls to taste.

This recipe can be prepared without the ground meat and with vegetable broth instead of the beef broth for a vegetarian diet. It will still provide protein, as well as fiber, because of the bean and corn combination.

Serves 3 to 4 people.