Recipe: 15 Bean Soup

*Photo by Zsuzsanna Sebok.
15 Bean Soup is a delicious addition to your weight loss meal plan. With 9g of fiber and 8g of protein in each serving, it will fill you up and keep you full for hours. Since this involves very little prep and basically cooks on its own, this soup is great for busy people who struggle to find the time to cook a healthy meal. It is also an economical choice for dieters on a budget.

You can find a bag of 15 bean soup mix in most grocery stores. It is usually found near the dried beans. If you prefer, you can also mix your own using a variety of beans. Just add equal amounts of each bean to your mix. Don't worry if you end up with more or less than 15 beans in your soup. Variety is what personalizes it.

• 1 lb mixed beans, either your personal mix or store-bought
• 2 cloves of garlic, minced
• 2 bunches green onions, diced
• 1 stalk celery, diced
  
• 1 Tbsp oil
• 1 lb chopped meat
  
• pork or ham bones
  
• 2 Tbsp your choice of herbs
• 1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
• 32 oz broth
  

Cover beans with water and soak overnight. If you forgot to soak your beans, you can also boil them for a few minutes, then let sit for an hour before using. Whatever method you choose, drain, rinse and set aside. In bottom of crockpot or slow cooker, saute celery, onion and garlic in oil. Add beans, broth and bones. Bring to low boil and simmer 3 hours. Remove bones. Add meat, herbs and seasoning. Return to low simmer and cook 6 hours. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

This recipe is easily adaptable to your preferences and what you have on hand. If using a store-bought mix that contains a seasoning pack, you can omit the herbs and seasoning in the recipe. Vegetarians can omit the bones and meat and use vegetable broth or water for the liquid. Most people use chopped ham for the meat, but my family prefers smoked sausage so I use turkey smoked sausage to keep it healthy and diet-friendly. If you don't have garlic, onion or celery, you can use the powdered versions found on the herb aisle at your local grocery store. Do keep in mind that if you choose to use garlic or celery salt, you need to use it sparingly as the salt can overwhelm the soup. For herbs, I usually use thyme, bay, oregano and basil, but you can use whatever you have on hand or prefer.