Garlicky Spinach and White Bean Soup

The Washington Post, December 31, 2008

• • Course: Main Course
• • Features: Fast, Healthy

Summary:

Given its high water content and satiety value, eating soup is a good way to control your diet, and it can help you work in lots of vegetables. Here, the beans provide plenty of fiber, a key to weight management.

Using unsalted homemade chicken broth is the best way to limit the amount of sodium when making soup.

Makes 7 1/2 cups (8 servings)

Ingredients:

• • 2 teaspoons olive oil
• • 1 medium onion, chopped (about 1 1/4 cups)
• • 3 medium cloves garlic, minced
• • 1 large carrot, peeled and cut into small dice
• • 1 rib celery, cut into small dice
• • 1 tablespoon flour
• • 4 cups low-sodium chicken broth
• • 1 14-ounce can no-salt-added diced tomatoes, with juice
• • 1 15-ounce can cannellini or other white beans, drained and rinsed (or boiled and drained)
• • 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• • 1/2 teaspoon dried rosemary
• • 2 cups washed, stemmed and coarsely chopped spinach leaves
• • Kosher salt
• • Freshly ground black pepper

Directions:

Heat the olive oil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the onion, garlic, carrot and celery; stir to coat, then cook for 6 minutes, stirring often to keep the ingredients from sticking to the bottom of the pan. The vegetables will have softened.

Add the flour and cook, stirring, for 2 minutes, then add the broth, tomatoes with their juice, beans, oregano and rosemary; bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to medium-low and cook uncovered, stirring occasionally, for 20 minutes.

Add the spinach and cook for 5 minutes, stirring to incorporate so the spinach wilts. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve hot.

Recipe Source:

From Alexandria nutritionist Robyn Webb.

154 calories, 2g fat, n/a saturated fat, n/a cholesterol, 477mg sodium, 26g carbohydrates, 6g dietary fiber, n/a sugar, 9g protein.