Winter has arrived and we are all turning to warm comforting food.
Winter comfort foods like creamy pastas, pies with mash and warm desserts tend to be quite carbohydrate rich and can be quite easy to over eat. In winter, our meals should be nourishing yet satiating and it is important we ensure we get enough quality protein at each meal, enough vegetable variety each day and we keep hydrated.
This delicious & nutritious Italian Bean Soup ticks all those boxes!
Packed with fibre, protein, healthy fats and full of a variety of veggies, this warming hearty soup will be just what you need on a cold winter’s night. Serve as a light lunch or as a dinner with some grainy bread and you’ll have a deliciously balanced nutritious meal.
This recipe has been compiled by Elaine, our Nutritionist based in our Belmont pharmacy.
Serves 4
Ingredients
2 tbs extra virgin olive oil
1 brown onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
Zest and juice of 1 lemon
2 sticks of celery, diced
2 zucchini, diced
1 large red/orange capsicum, diced
½ a bunch green leafy vegetable i.e. chard, kale, baby spinach, finely sliced
2 chicken thighs, with bones* – trimmed by left whole
2 cups of chicken* stock
2 cups of water (adjust as desired)
1 can of white beans i.e. cannellini, butter beans – drained and rinsed
Fresh parsley – finely chopped
1 tsp dried thyme
1 tsp dried oregano
Salt and pepper to taste
Method
1) Trim excess fat off chicken thighs and place in bowl with 1 tsp extra virgin olive oil, 1 clove of minced garlic & lemon zest – mix together
2) Add remaining extra virgin olive oil in a large pot and heat on low. Add onion and celery and sauté until opaque. Add remaining garlic and zucchini – sauté for 3-5 minutes
3) Add in chicken thighs around the vegetables, turning the chicken to allow chicken to seal.
4) Pour the in stock, extra water and add herbs and seasoning.
5) Allow to boil and then reduce to a simmer.
6) Simmer on low until chicken is cooked through.
7) Pull out the chicken thighs, shred the meat and discard the bones.
8) Add the red capsicum, beans, greens and lemon juice.
9) Allow vegetables to lightly cook and the soup to heat through. Adjust seasoning as required.
10) Serve & enjoy!
Serving suggestion: Serve with crunchy grain bread if desired.
*Omit the chicken stock and use vegetable stock to make this soup vegetarian.
