Known in Greece as fassoulada, this hearty, thick soup is a popular dish there. Navy beans, onion, tomatoes and garlic make up the basis of the soup.
Helpful Hint:
— You can find minced garlic in the produce section of the market.
Countdown:
— Prepare ingredients.
— Make soup.
Shopping List:
1 package frozen chopped onion, 1 can no-salt-added whole no-sugar-added tomatoes**, 1 can navy or Great Northern beans, 1 bottle dried thyme, 1 container dry roasted, no-salt-added pistachios nuts, 1 loaf whole grain bread 1 container reduced-fat crumbled feta cheese, 1 bag washed, ready-to-eat spinach, 1 large zucchini and 1 bunch celery.
Staples: olive oil, minced garlic, fat-free low-sodium vegetable broth*, salt and black peppercorns.
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GREEK BEAN AND VEGETABLE SOUP (FASSOULADA)
Recipe by Linda Gassenheimer
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 cup frozen chopped onion
2 cups sliced zucchini
1/2 cup sliced celery
1 teaspoon minced garlic
1 cup fat-free low-sodium vegetable broth*
1 cup water
3/4 cup no-salt-added rinsed and drained navy or Great Northern beans
1 cup drained canned low-sodium, no-sugar-added whole tomatoes**
4 cups washed, ready-to-eat spinach
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 ounce crumbled reduced-fat feta cheese (about 3 tablespoons)
2 tablespoons coarsely chopped dry roasted, no-salt-added pistachio nuts
2 slices whole grain bread
Heat oil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add onion, zucchini, celery and garlic. Cook 2 to 3 minutes until vegetables soften. Add chicken broth, water, beans and tomatoes. Break up the tomatoes with the edge of a cooking spoon. Bring soup to a simmer and cook 5 minutes. Add the spinach and thyme. Cook until the spinach is wilted, about 1 minute. Add salt and pepper to taste. Ladle in two bowls and sprinkle feta cheese and pistachio nuts on top. Serve bread on the side. Makes 2 servings.
Per serving: 420 calories, 140 calories from fat, 15 g fat, 3.1 g saturated fat, 7.4 g monounsaturated fat, 5 mg cholesterol, 20 g protein, 57 g carbohydrates, 14 g dietary fiber, 13 g sugars, 470 mg sodium, 1260 mg potassium, 270 mg phosphorus.
Exchanges: 2 starch, 5 vegetable, 1 lean protein, 2 fat.
Shop Smart:
* low-sodium vegetable broth, containing per cup: 20 calories, 0 g fat, 240 mg sodium
** canned low-sodium, no-sugar-added whole tomatoes, containing per cup: 41 calories, .3 g fat, .04 g saturated fat, 24 mg sodium
