National Soup Month

Happy New Year!

After the overindulgence of the holidays, I seem to always plan a detox - new year, healthier me. The operative word being plan.

This year, I decided to take it one step further and actually make a healthy, but comforting meal for my family. With the nation, and surprisingly our hometown of Dallas, in the midst of a deep freeze and record breaking winter weather, I thought soup! Did you know that January is National Soup Month? Perfect timing! My detox stars were aligned. The thought of a simmering pot of homemade soup on the stove made me happy.

I was reading my local neighborhood paper and came across this recipe by columnist Christy Rost for Winter White Bean Soup. I find the best recipes in the newspaper! My Thanksgiving mashed potato casserole (a family favorite and definitely not on the detox train) was handed down to me from my Mom, the original Martha Stewart, from a New York Times recipe circa 1981. Don't overlook the recipes in the news! You probably have most of the ingredients for this white bean soup in your frig and pantry, but don't be afraid to improvise. (The recipe called for spinach, I used kale. Next time I would probably grate some fresh parm on top when serving.) This soup was everything Ms. Rost promised - satisfying and flavorful. If you're still eating carbs, pair it with crusty bread or bruschetta :)

Easy, healthy, sticking to the plan (for now). Yum!

I am quickly learning that food photography is much harder than it looks.

How the heck does the Pioneer Woman do this?

Herbs, water and vegetable broth... and my celery sticks to munch on. Exciting.

Here goes the vegetable broth and water...

After letting the broth simmer for about 45 minutes, I added the beans. And almost dropped my phone into the pot.

Cooking the beans took longer than I expected so give yourself plenty of time. Simmer for at least another 45 minutes. Add a small handful of baby kale or spinach to the bowl and ladle the warm soup over.