Five Bean Soup with Collard Greens

I'm finding that soup is really helpful in my efforts to lose weight. Maybe it's the comfort factor. This soup is very filling. Add some steamed carrots, sliced tomatoes and a slice of whole grain bread for a very satisfying meal.

If you don't like collard greens, try spinach, kale or mustard greens.

Five Bean Soup with Collard Greens
Makes (10) 1½-cup servings

Ingredients
½ cup Black Beans - dry
½ cup Small Red Beans - dry
½ cup Lentils - dry
½ cup Black Eyed Peas - dry
½ cup Kidney Beans - dry
4 cups Chicken Stock
3 tbsp Cider Vinegar
1 6 oz. can Tomato Paste
1 Onion
1 Green Pepper
½ cup Chopped Carrots
2 cloves Garlic
2½ tsp Salt (add only 2 tsp if Chicken Stock is not salt free.)
1 tsp Black Pepper
½ tsp Cayenne
1 tsp Mrs. Dash
½ tsp Cumin
½ tsp Ground Coriander
½ tsp Tumeric
½ tsp Garlic Powder
1½ cups or 10 oz. Chopped Collard Greens (frozen is fine)

Directions
Soak beans overnight in 5 cups of water. (You can season the soaking water.) Rinse and drain.

Coarsely chop Vegetables.

Bring Chicken Stock with two cups of water and tomato paste to a boil. Add up to an additional 2 cups of water as needed. Add all ingredients. Reduce heat to a simmer and cook for 1 1/2 hours or until beans are tender.

Notes: You can add more vegetables like celery and fresh tomatoes. Reduce sodium by replacing 1 tsp of salt with 1 tbsp cider vinegar.

Vegetarians: Replace chicken stock with vegetable stock or water.


Nutritional Information - Amount Per 1½-cup Serving

Calories 141.7
Total Fat 1.3 g
Saturated Fat 0.3 g
Polyunsaturated Fat 0.2 g
Monounsaturated Fat 0.6 g
Cholesterol 2.9 mg
Sodium 805.0 mg
Potassium 525.2 mg
Total Carbohydrate 32.0 g
Dietary Fiber 15.1 g
Sugars 5.2 g
Protein 12.6 g

Vitamin A 28.6 %
Vitamin B-12 0.0 %
Vitamin B-6 5.5 %
Vitamin C 16.2 %
Vitamin D 0.0 %
Vitamin E 0.5 %
Calcium 4.9 %
Copper 3.9 %
Folate 2.3 %
Iron 16.0 %
Magnesium 2.3 %
Manganese 3.7 %
Niacin 8.3 %
Pantothenic Acid 0.4 %
Phosphorus 3.6 %
Riboflavin 5.4 %
Selenium 3.4 %
Thiamin 3.3 %
Zinc 1.4 %


This hearty soup freezes well.