Tuscan white bean and spinach soup

Preparation time: 25 minutes

 

1 teaspoon olive oil
1/2 medium onion, chopped
1/2 cup chopped celery
1 clove garlic
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1/4 teaspoon thyme
1 can (15 ounces) white beans (cannellini) with liquid
1 cup low-sodium, fat-free chicken broth
1 cup water
2 cups packed fresh spinach leaves, rinsed, drained, and sliced
1 teaspoon lemon juice

In a large pot, add olive oil and heat over medium setting. Add onion, celery, garlic, pepper, and thyme. Sauté until vegetables are tender. Stir in beans, chicken broth, and water and cover. Bring to a simmer and cook for 30 minutes. Remove 1 cup of bean/vegetable mixture and set aside. Pour remaining soup in small batches into a blender or food processor and puree until smooth. Pour pureed soup and reserved bean and vegetable mixture back into the pot with spinach and lemon juice and simmer for an additional 10 minutes until the soup is hot and the spinach has wilted. (You may need to replace some water lost by evaporation—this recipe should make 4 cups of soup.)

Yield: 4 cups
Serving Size: 1 cup

Nutrition Facts

Per Serving:
  Calories: 127
  Carbohydrate: 21 g
  Protein: 8 g
  Fat: 1 g
  Saturated fat: 0 g
  Sodium: 218 mg
  Fiber: 10 g
  Exchanges per serving: 1 starch, 1/2 very lean meat, 1 vegetable
  Carbohydrate choices: 1 1/2

This recipe was developed by Sharon Palmer, a registered dietitian and freelance writer in Southern California.

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