To me, homemade soup is one the best things ever, especially in the winter and especially at lunch time.  The only negative is that it can be somewhat time consuming to prepare.  But if I can carve out one morning to spend putting together a fresh pot of soup, it can be divided up into freezer bags or containers and taken out as needed to defrost on days when I’m pressed for time.

This Broccoli and White Bean Soup is an example of one that really doesn’t take a lot of time to make, and the reward is three-fold:  warm, comforting, and so good for you.  The beans are what I call a ‘secret ingredient’ because at the same time they thicken the soup and make it incredibly creamy when you blend everything together.  The recipe calls for fresh broccoli, but frozen works too – just skip the steaming step and add it in along with the beans.

Broccoli and White Bean Soup

adapted from Whole Living Magazine

makes 8-10 servings

Ingredients

Who still has their Christmas tree up?  (Raises hand.)  The ornaments are off of ours, but it still sits in the den, crispy and deep-fried from the dry heat.  Looking more like something from The Nightmare Before Christmas.  Scary.

Tomorrow I am planning to put a pot of this incredibly easy and incredibly delicious meat and bean mix in the slow cooker to work its magic while I put away all the decorations.  And when I’m finished, I’ll be able to make something fun with it like these Pork and Pinto Bean Nachos.

Start with a bag of dried beans, some meat, and a few pantry ingredients, dump it all in a slow cooker, and let it go.  How easy is that?

This is another one of those ‘possibilities are endless’ recipes.  First of all, you can use any meat you like – I’ve made it with chicken pieces, pork loin, beef and venison stew meat.  And then once it’s done, it makes the perfect filling for any kind of Mexican dish you can think of.

Way better than crispy fried Christmas tree.

Slow Cooker Pork and Pinto Beans

from Shortbread

Ingredients

• 1  pound dried pinto beans
• 1  pound boneless pork loin chops
• 2  garlic cloves, minced
• 1  tablespoon chili powder
• 2  teaspoons salt
• 1  teaspoon dried oregano
• 1  teaspoon ground cumin
• 1  (32-ounce) box chicken broth
• 1  (10-ounce) can diced tomatoes with green chilies

Directions

1. Rinse and sort beans according to package directions.
2. Place pinto beans in a 6-quart or larger slow cooker. Place pork pieces on top and cover with rest of ingredients.
3. Cover and cook on LOW 8 hours or on HIGH 5 hours until beans and meat are tender.
4. Stir to break meat into small pieces.

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*For the nachos, top tortilla chips with the meat mixture and cover with shredded cheese. Microwave until melted. Top with your favorite things like avocado, salsa, jalapeño and cilantro.

But it can be delicious.  Like this Kale and White Bean Soup with looks only a mother could love.  It will fill you up and keep you satisfied for quite some time.  And it is so good for you, it might be a crime.

The real surprise, however, is that it is super-flavorful and the perfect bowl of warmth for cool fall days.  Make half of the recipe for a smaller pot, or double it for the freezer.  It tastes just as good with other kinds of greens, too, like spinach, escarole, or young collards.

1. Cut or tear the kale into 1/2-inch strips. In a medium saucepan, heat 1 tablespoon oil over medium-high heat. Add onion, and cook until softened, about 5 minutes.
2. Add about half of the beans, and lightly mash with a fork. Add water and stock, and bring to a boil. Stir in kale, remaining beans, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Partially cover, reduce heat, and simmer until kale is tender, about 20 minutes.
3. Toast bread. Ladle soup into bowls, top with toast, and drizzle with remaining tablespoon olive oil. Sprinkle with Parmesan, if desired.

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