Soups are a wonderful addition to any meal, especially on those cold days and in fact they can be a meal in themselves.
With a wonderful tasting bean based soup you may just decide that it will be your whole meal. Made from whole foods, this soup is diabetic safe and the beans deliver some great health benefits.
- improve diabetics’ blood glucose control
- lower cholesterol levels
- reduce risk of many cancers
- lower blood pressure
- regulate functions of the colon
- prevent and cure constipation
- prevent piles and other bowel problems
Ingredients:
- 1 sprig fresh rosemary, leaves only (approx. 10cm)
- 2-3 sprigs fresh thyme, leaves only
- 1 onion, quartered
- 1 garlic clove
- 20g extra virgin olive oil or macadamia oil if not using a Thermomix
- 2 celery stalks, diced
- 1 carrot, diced
- 2 large tomatoes, peeled** and diced (or 1x can chopped tomatoes-I prefer organic and BPA free; fresh is best)
- 1x 400g canned cannellini beans (mixed beans, butter beans, chickpeas, kidney beans are all perfectly suitable too)
- Massell vegetable stock cube
- 200ml of filtered water
- ¼ teaspoon dried chilli flakes
- 1 handful fresh parsley, finely chopped, stalks and leaves to garnish
Method:
- Finely chop the rosemary and thyme and set aside.
- Finely dice the onion, crush the garlic and add to a medium soup pot.
- Add macadamia oil, celery, carrot and sauté for 5-7 minutes on a medium heat.
- Add the tomatoes, beans, stock, chilli flakes and reserved chopped herbs, 200ml of water and stock cube. Bring to a gentle boil, then simmer semi covered for around 15 minutes or until carrot is tender.
- Pour into soup bowls and garnish generously with finely chopped parsley.
Macadamia oil has a much higher smoking point so it it is safe to use with a traditional method of cooking.
Thermomix Method:
- Place rosemary and thyme into mixing bowl and chop 10 seconds, speed 8. Set aside.
- Place onion and garlic into TM bowl and chop 3 seconds, speed 5. Scrape down sides of bowl with spatula.
- Add olive oil, celery and carrot and sauté 5 minutes, varoma, speed 1 without MC in place.
- Add 200ml of water
- Add tomatoes, beans, stock cube, chilli flakes and reserved chopped herbs and cook 12 minutes, 100ºC, reverse, speed 1.
- Pour soup into bowls and garnish generously with finely chopped parsley.
Because the Thermomix, cooks at maximum 120ºC which is NOT smoking point, it is safe to cook with olive oil.
**To peel tomatoes, I carefully cut out the core of tomatoes with a paring knife (no need to cut the tomatoes in half), then place them in a bowl; pour over enough boiling water, from the kettle, to cover the tomatoes. Leave them in for a good 30 seconds, drain the water and the skin peels off easily – I use the knife to help it along.
Please feel free to use which ever vegetables you have in your fridge that need using up: add some zucchini, chopped up spinach or kale, frozen peas etc.
This recipe serves 2.
Recipe by : Julie Mironowicz | Diabetic Health Clinic Nutritionist | See this recipe on Julie’s Blog www.radishandpear.com
