Fall is Time for Soup!

With the beginning of Fall right around the corner (September 22nd to be exact), it seems only right to start thinking about soups. I enjoy soups throughout the cooler months as something I can take to work for lunch and even for something easy on a weeknight. Many soups are very simple and can be made in about 30 minutes, while there are some that do require longer cooking times so I like to make those on the weekends.

Some time ago (I can't admit how long because I honestly don't remember), I bought a cookbook devoted to soups: Saved By Soup: More Than 100 Delicious Low-Fat Soups To Eat And Enjoy Every Day. I loved that this book was devoted not only to soups, but to healthy, low-fat soups. As I do enjoy my indulgences, I am also always looking for ways to cut calories at other meals so I can continue to have those treats.

For my first test of this cookbook, I chose Tuscan White Bean Soup. I love cannellini beans and figured it would also give me a chance to use my handy immersion blender (Braun MR430HC Multiquick Deluxe Hand Blender & Chopper). I've had this blender also for quite awhile and only used it once or twice. It's so easy to use, and you don't have to deal with the mess of trying to transfer a hot liquid to a blender or food processor since you can just puree as much or as little as you need right in the pot. Pretty cool.

So, back to the soup! The ingredients are pretty simple and don't appear that they will have all that much flavor. The single sage leaf imparts a fall flavor, but the soup seems to be calling out for something more. The recipe says to puree the whole soup, but I think if I make it again that I'd leave some bigger pieces in it. Simply put, it tasted like a tomato soup with a big cannellini bean flavor. I'm not sure I'll repeat this one as it just didn't hit the right spot overall. Besides, I have a whole cookbook at my fingertips, which gives me 100 soups to choose from for next time!

I haven't figured out how to take a great picture of soup, so rather than embarrass myself with how awful it turned out I'm not going to share this one.

If the cooler temperatures have you craving something comforting and perfect for fall, check out these ideas:

Tortilla Soup from Simply Recipes.
Garlic Lover's White Bean Soup from Farmgirl Fare.
Butternut Squash Soup from What Did You Eat?



Tuscan White Bean Soup
Source: Saved By Soup by Judith Barrett

Ingredients

• 2 teaspoons olive oil
• 1 medium size onion, finely chopped
• 2 large clove garlic, finely minced
• 4 cups cooked or canned cannellini beans
• 2 cups chopped tomatoes, with juices
• 1 fresh sage leaf
• 4 cups chicken broth
• salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley

Directions

1. Heat the oil in a heavy 4 quart pot over medium-high heat. Add onion and garlic and saute until the onion becomes soft. Stir in the beans, tomatoes and sage leaf. Add the broth. Turn the heat to high and bring to a boil. Once it reaches a boil, reduce heat and simmer covered for 20 minutes. Remove sage leaf.
2. Using an immersion blender puree (or use a blender, putting the soup into the blender in batches). Stir in parsley just before serving.