Recipe: Healing Beans, Greens and Garlic Soup

This soup is full of protective antioxidants, fibre and phytonutrients – plant compounds that protect your body from head to toe and may help balance hormones. Garlic supports the immune system, the gut and the heart – but cooking can destroy some of the healthful properties, which is why it is added late in this recipe. If you’re not a huge fan of garlic, cut it down by half or more.

Ingredients (serves 4-6 people):

• 2 tablespoons olive oil or butter
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 3 stalks celery, minced
• 2 medium carrots, diced
• 1 teaspoon sea salt, tamari or liquid amino’s, or to taste
• 8-10 cloves garlic, minced
• 1½ litres water, or chicken or vegetable stock
• About 300g cooked white beans (from 2 tins, rinsed, or from about 200g dry)
• About 700g green leaves, chopped (spinach, kale, or chard)
• Freshly ground pepper and nutmeg to taste
• Freshly grated Parmesan cheese

Instructions:

• Heat the oil in a large soup pot over low heat.
• Add the onion, celery, carrots, and salt.
• Cook for 10 minutes; then add the water or stock and bring to the boil.
• Cover, lower the heat to a simmer, and cook 15 minutes or until the vegetables are tender.
• Add the beans, garlic and as much of the greens as you can fit in the pot.
• Cover and wait a few minutes for the greens to wilt (when there is room), add more greens until they are all incorporated.
• Season to taste with pepper.
• Serve hot, topped with a grating of nutmeg and a sprinkling of Parmesan cheese and serve with a wholemeal bread or seeded crackers.

Recipe courtesy of Abel & Cole