It’s Friday as I write this. It’s freezing and the ground is slippery and icy. The fridge and pantry are screaming out for replenishing – so I’m left with a conundrum. Resupply now – which I’m just not in the mood to do; order takeout (always a delicious, but often not such a healthy option) or make do with what I have. This is where this recipe has its origin.
Bean soup is kind of boring (unless it’s black bean soup – made with a ham hock and dolloped with a little sour cream) and its broth can be kind of bland. I decided to add a little color by adding Cannellini beans and a little Asian chili garlic sauce to make it a bit more interesting. It reminds me of Hot and Sour soup you get from your favorite Chinese restaurant. See what you think!
A few sprays of non-stick cooking spray (great hack – substituting vegetable or olive oil…even just a few tablespoons, saves at least 100 calories overall to this dish!)
1 red onion, diced
1 red bell pepper, diced
3 cloves garlic, chopped
6 cups vegetable or chicken stock (if you’re like me and you have half-full cartons of each in your fridge at any time – use them both up!)
1 can 15.5-ounce Cannellini beans – drained of their liquid
1 can 15.5-ounce black beans – drained of their liquid
2 tsp Tajin
2 tsp chili garlic sauce (this is spicy – add more or less depending on your love of heat – look for it in the Asian section of your market)
1 tsp sugar
Salt and Pepper to taste
Method:
In a heavy bottom pot (Dutch oven), spray with non-stick cooking spray and heat over medium high heat. Add onion, red bell pepper and garlic and stir to coat. Cook until just softened – about 3-4 minutes. Add stock. Stir until combined.
Next add the cans of beans (drained – not rinsed) along with Tajin, garlic chile paste, sugar and salt and pepper. Bring to a boil.
Reduce to low and simmer for 30 minutes. Garnish with a dollop of low-fat Greek yogurt if you’d like.
A great day for me is preparing great meals for friends and family. I enjoy experimenting with new ingredients and also updating classics that I've enjoyed for years. I love to travel and try lots of new cuisines - and wouldn't be anything without the love of my family!
