Begin with Beans

Eat healthier and save a little money by adding beans to your meals. This soup recipe blends creamy, home-cooked navy beans with healthy veggies like carrots, onions and leeks for a warm, tasty appetizer. Find more nutritious recipes at aicr.org. Tuscan White Bean Soup Reprinted with permission from the American Institute for Cancer Research Servings: 6

1 cup dried navy beans cold water

1 leek, white part only, cut into

1-inch pieces

3/4 cup coarsely chopped onion 1/2 cup chopped carrot,

3/4-inch pieces

1/2 cup chopped celery,

3/4-inch pieces

1/4 cup flat-leaf parsley leaves, loosely

packed 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil 4 cups reduced-sodium vegetable or chicken broth

2 cups water

1 teaspoon finely chopped fresh

rosemary salt, to taste freshly ground pepper, to taste

Place beans in deep pot and cover with cold water to 1 inch above beans. Bring water to boil and simmer, uncovered, 1 minute. Remove from heat, cover and let beans sit 1 hour. Drain.

In same pot, cover beans with cold water to 2 inches above beans. Over medium-high heat, bring to boil. Cover pot partway so it does not boil over; simmer beans until soft and creamy, 45-60 minutes. Set beans aside in cooking liquid until ready to use.

In food processor, pulse leek, onion, carrot, celery and parsley until finely chopped and moist.

In medium Dutch oven or small soup pot, heat oil over medium-high heat. Add chopped vegetables and cook, stirring, 5 minutes, or until soft. Cover tightly, reduce heat and cook 10 minutes. Increase heat and cook until golden, 8 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Add broth, 2 cups water and rosemary. Simmer, covered, until vegetables are soft, 20 minutes. Remove from heat and use immersion blender to whirl soup until partly pureed with some vegetables bits remaining.

Add 2 cups drained, cooked beans to soup. Return pot to heat and cook until beans are heated through. Season soup, to taste, with salt and pepper. Divide soup among six deep soup bowls.