- 2 - 15 oz cans small white beans,
undrained OR 1 cup of dry beans, cooked
tender (about
- 3 cups of cooked beans)
- 4 cups beef or vegetarian-ham broth
- 1/4 cup catsup
- 1/2 an onion, chopped
- 1 stalk of celery, finely chopped
- 1 carrot, finely chopped
- 1/8 teaspoon pepper
- 1 teaspoon dry parsley
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
- 2 tablespoons soy based bacon bits
(TVP) or a dash of liquid smoke
- 1/4 cup cold water
- 2 tablespoons whole wheat flour
You need a nice large soup pot to make
this recipe. First empty the canned beans
into the pot. If you prefer, you can use 3
cups of cooked beans. This would be much
cheaper. To get three cups of cooked beans,
start off with a full cup of dry navy or
great northern beans. Soak them overnight in
plenty of water, and then cook them until
they are tender. Either way, get your beans
into the pot.
Now add the beef or vegetarian-ham broth.
This will be the base of the soup. Add the
catsup and stir until it dissolves. Chop
your onion, celery, carrots and add them to
the pot. Measure in the pepper, dry parsley,
vegetable oil, and imitation bacon bits. The
bacon bits give the traditional smoky flavor
to this soup. If you don't have any, you can
leave them out, or replace them with a
splash of liquid smoke.
Place a lid on the soup, and simmer it for
about 20 minutes, or until the vegetables
are all tender. Now, in a small jar with a
good lid, measure the cold water and flour.
Screw on the lid tightly. Shake the water
and flour together until they are smooth. If
your lid is loose, drops of floury water
will splash out as you shake. If this is a
possibility, then shake the jar over the
sink. When the flour is dissolved into the
water, pour the mixture into the boiling
soup and stir well. The soup will thicken up
nicely. Simmer the soup for another 10
minutes, so that all of the flavors are
married and the textures are mingled
pleasantly. Serve with sprout and cream
cheese sandwiches for lunch or a light
supper. Makes about 4 servings, maybe 6 if
you have moderate appetites.
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