Bean and Spinach Stew/Soup

This recipe is from a couple of weeks ago when it was raining very hard in Autsin.

It has been raining cats and dogs since yesterday (Jan 24). Flash floods, power outages, tornado warnings and thunder so loud that the windows in my house rattled last night. So this weather calls for a hearty bean soup/stew that will warm and comfort us all. Best part, it is super healthy. This chilli is packed with protein, fiber and nutrients and low on fat as well as calories. This pairs really well with some corn bread. So lets get this baby cooking...

RECIPE: Bean and Spinach Stew
Ingredients
1 Tbsp olive oil

1 large onion, chopped

1 Tbsp garlic, minced

2 tsp ground cumin

1/2 tsp chili powder

2 cans diced tomatoes (14.5oz)

1 can dark red kidney beans, rinsed & drained

1 can black bean, rinsed & drained

1 can white beans, rinsed & drained

4 cups fat-free low sodium chicken broth

1/4 cup cilantro, chopped

3 cups fresh baby spinach leaves

 

Method

1. Heat olive oil over medium-high heat in 4-quart saucepan. Add onion and sauté about 5 minutes, until softened but not browned. Add garlic and cook 1 minute longer. Do not brown garlic.
2. Add spices and tomatoes and simmer about 5 minutes. Add 3 cups (2 cans) of beans and 2 ½ cups of broth and bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer.
3. Place remaining beans and broth in bowl of food processor or in blender. Add cilantro and puree until smooth. Add mixture to stew.
4. Add spinach and heat just until wilted. Stir well and serve hot.

Step-by-step process,

Heat olive oil over medium-high heat in 4-quart saucepan. Add onion and sauté about 5 minutes, until softened but not browned.

Add garlic and cook 1 minute longer. Do not brown garlic.

Add spices and tomatoes and simmer about 5 minutes. Add 3 cups (2 cans) of beans and 2 ½ cups of broth and bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer.

Place remaining beans and broth in bowl of food processor or in blender. Add cilantro and puree until smooth. Add mixture to stew.

Add spinach and heat just until wilted. Stir well and serve hot.

This is just a perfect meal seved with some corn bread and avocados.