I found this recipe for
Cream of White Bean, Carrot & Ginger Soup in the current issue of
Clean Eating magazine. I love a soup that gets its creaminess without using dairy. In this case, it's the cannellini beans that provide a rich, velvety texture--and they add fiber and protein to the mix too.
I made a couple of small changes to the recipe, noted in red below--doubling the garlic, adding extra ginger, and squeezed in fresh lemon juice to add acidity.
Cream of White Bean, Carrot & Ginger Soup Adapted from Heather Bainbridge, Clean Eating Magazine, Jan/Feb 2015 (
Serves 8)
Hands-On Time: 20 minutes / Total Time: 40 Minutes
1 Tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
1 large yellow onion, chopped
1 2-inch piece fresh ginger, peeled and minced
(I used approximately 3-inches) 2 cloves garlic, minced
(I used 4 cloves) 4 cups low-sodium vegetable broth
2 (
15 oz) low-sodium, BPA-free cans cannellini beans, drained & rinsed
1/2 lb carrots, peeled and coarsely chopped
2 bay leaves
1/2 tsp fresh ground pepper
(I added the juice from 1/2 of a lemon) 2 1/2 oz roasted unsalted cashews, finely chopped
1/2 cup chopped fresh chives
In a large soup pot or saucepan, heat oil over medium heat. Add onion and saute until it begins to soften, 2 to 3 minutes. Add ginger and garlic; saute 1 to 2 minutes, until fragrant.
Add broth, 2 cups water, beans, carrots, bay leaves and pepper. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, cover and simmer for 20 minutes. Remove from heat and discard bay leaves.
Using an immersion blender, or carefully in a standing blender, puree the soup until smooth. Place into bowls and topped with cashews and chives.
Nutritional Info (
1-Cup Soup with Toppings): Calories: 194, Total Fat: 6g, Sat. Fat: 1g, Mono-Fat: 4g, Poly-Fat: 1g, Carbs: 26.5g, Fiber: 10g, Sugars: 4g, Protein: 8.5g, Sodium: 158mg, Cholesterol: 0mg
Notes/Results: A quick and easy soup to put together that delivers good flavor and creamy satisfaction. I am glad I increased the garlic and ginger--I like lots of flavor in my soup and appreciated that I could taste both easily. They, along with the shot of lemon, also balance out the sweetness of the carrots. The cashews add a slight crunch and along with the chives make a good topping. A bright soup to brighten up a cloudy and cool day. I would make it again.
Let's take a look into the
Souper Sundays kitchen and see who dropped by.
Speaking of salads, my friend Sue of
Couscous & Consciousness has set the aggressive and healthy goal of posting a new salad everyday on her blog and she has posted eight amazing ones so far. You can join her in her
Salad Days: 28 Days of Salads Project by linking up your favorite salads on the linky on her blog. (
Sue has all the details there.) Representing her salads this week is this
Hot & Sour Asian Slaw Recipe that she served with luscious Burmese Chili Prawns. Sue says, "
This dish definitely had the wow factor - an absolute explosion of flavours and textures, and just enough heat to leave my lips tingling at the end of it ... in a good way. If you like Asian flavours, I urge you to give this a try the next time you have cole slaw on your mind."
This week at at
Kahakai Kitchen, I made
Watercress Tea Sandwiches to pair with a book review. What's better than little crust-less sandwiches? Little crust-less sandwiches spread with lemony watercress compound butter and layered with watercress leaves and thin slices of cucumber. Perfect with a cuppa, or as a light lunch. The compound butter is also excellent with grilled salmon and melted over veggies and is a must-make.
Thanks to everyone who joined in this week. If you have a soup, salad, or sandwich that you would like to share, just click on the
Souper Sundays logo on the sidebar for all of the details.
Have a happy, healthy week!