I have been preparing this soup for over ten years now.  Unlike my other recipes, this is one of those soups that takes a little longer to prepare such as on a lazy, rainy Sunday in Winter.  I make a dairy free, gluten free version for my family and it always represents a day of self-care and nurturing as I relax in my comfortable clothes whilst this soup slowly simmers on the kitchen stove.

I recommend this soup to my clients as it ticks so many boxes from a health perspective.  Being rich in fibre means that it is wonderful for optimal digestion and detoxification as it keeps bowel movements regular and ensures that nasty toxins and waste are removed from the body instead of being reabsorbed.  The soluble fibre is also a prebiotic food source for important intestinal flora, and this always makes me happy as they are mega important for so many functions in our body including immune health, mood and hormonal balance and I love to see them flourish.

It is a perfect choice for keeping blood sugar levels balanced and is also a good plant-based protein choice with legumes a star ingredient.  Not to mention the copious amounts of antioxidants, vitamins, and minerals due to the abundance of fresh vegetables.  I always buy my vegetables from the local organic markets or supermarket to minimise the toxins in my body and if this is an option for you, I strongly suggest looking at this as an option.

Scientific studies highly recommend reducing red meat consumption to only twice a week to reduce the risk of a number of lifestyle diseases.  Finding tasty meal substitutes can be difficult for people that want to increase plant-based meals and this soup is perfect!

The original version of this soup added 100g pancetta and hearty chicken stock instead of vegetable stock with a full dairy pesto so if you want to do a non-vegetarian version, then add these ingredients.

Ingredients

• 2 cans of organic borlotti beans
• 4 tablespoons extra virgin cold pressed olive oil
• 1 large onion, finely chopped
• 2 leeks, sliced finely
• 3 garlic cloves, finely chopped
• 4 celery stalks, chopped
• 2 large carrots, sliced
• 1 sweet potatoes, peeled and chopped in small cubes
• 2 zucchinis, diced
• 1 bunch of silver-beet, shredded
• 100 grams freshly shelled peas or frozen (organic)
• 1 cup of green beans, chopped
• 1 small red capsicum, chopped
• ¼ cabbage, finely chopped
• 2-3 sage leaves
• 1 tsp of fresh thyme
• 2 bay leaves
• 10 basil leaves
• Pinch of red chilli flakes
• Salt and pepper to taste
• ⅓ cup organic tomato paste
• 1 can of 400 grams organic diced tomatoes
• 3 litres of organic vegetable stock
• 2 teaspoons of lemon juice
• Vegan pesto or vegan parmesan to serve

INSTRUCTIONS

Heat your olive oil in a large saucepan over medium heat.

Once the oil is simmering, add your chopped onion, garlic, leaks, carrot, celery, chilli flakes and stir for 10 minutes until onions are translucent.

Add the remainder of your vegetables, sage and thyme and stir gently until fragrant for several minutes.

Now add your tomato paste and diced tomatoes, vegetable stock and stir.

Add your bay leaves and basil leaves and season with salt and pepper.

Add your borlotti beans.

Increase heat to medium-high and bring the soup to a boil, partially cover with your lid, and reduce heat so soup is just simmering.

Cook for approximately an hour or as you like it depending on softness of vegetables.

Remove the saucepan from the heat and take out the bay leaves.

Add lemon juice to mix and any salt and pepper to taste.

When serving add vegan pesto or vegan parmesan.  If not dairy free, use pesto and parmesan to garnish.

Why not buy a thermos and then take some to work for lunch and have the healthiest, yummiest lunch ever!

Enjoy.

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When it comes to soup however, it really is thought of as a winter dish.  Well, I am here to throw that idea out of the window and the reason is simple, I run out of healthy and easy to prepare meals for lunches in Summer and tomatoes are a fabulous, healthy ingredient.

Don’t get me wrong I am an enormous fan of healthy salads, and they make a regular visit to my breakfast plate, lunch box and dinner menu over the Summer months however I love variety just about as much as I love an easy to prepare meal.

As my clients know very well, I also always make sure that I eat a protein with any carbohydrate and that includes salad, fruit, and vegetables due to the positive impact on blood sugar levels, energy, and brain power.

In this dish, the plant based protein is cannellini beans which add a creamy touch and contain an abundance of B vitamins, including B12, Zinc, Potassium and more.  Having adequate protein especially if people are vegan or vegetarian is important as amino acids that make up proteins are the building blocks of our body for important things such as hormones and neurotransmitters.  Here are some more plant based proteins that may be of interest in this blog here.

When it comes to nutritious plant foods with superstar health benefits, it is tough to surpass the honourable organic tomato, carrot, and onion.

In Australia, tomatoes are truly at their prime in February when Summer is thriving at its hottest and I love cooking with produce that is cheap and in season as it makes a difference to a food’s nutritional value.

As a naturopath, I am of course passionate about using organic produce wherever possible due to high nutrient content and low pesticide content.

This soup is rich in important vitamins and minerals including Vitamin A (beta -carotene), Vitamin B6, Folate, Vitamin C, Vitamin E, Manganese, Potassium and more.

Stand-outs nutrients to mention are:

Vitamin C: a powerful antioxidant to fight oxidative damage and free radicals in your body.  It is also needed for the repair of all body tissues including wounds, the formation of collagen, the proper functioning of your immune system, cartilage, bones, and teeth.  An important role is as a regulator of neurotransmitter biosynthesis which are critical for optimal mental health.

Flavonoids: these phenolic compounds are yet again powerful antioxidants, but their health benefits also include antiviral & anti-inflammatory abilities.

Lycopene: another plant compound with wonderful antioxidant super-star properties.  Lycopene, which is the red pigment is high in cooked tomatoes is an antioxidant which can protect against DNA and cell damage. The health benefits of Lycopene are far reaching and include cardiovascular health, prostate health and even bone health.

I see a lot of very busy people in my clinic and for this reason Summer homemade lunches need to be quick.  This soup can be made on a Sunday as you are pottering around the house in the afternoon or on a day that you work form home.  It lasts in the fridge for 3 days or more and you can easily freeze cooled soup in batches for quick access, defrost for a few hours and quickly heat up.

I take mine to work in a thermos and it reduces the likelihood that a café bought meal will occur whilst also being low in calories yet high in nutrition.

So, I will stop singing the praises of this dish and get onto the humble ingredients. 

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons of cold pressed olive oil
• 1.25 kilos of large vine ripened tomatoes, cut roughly in quarters
• 2 tablespoons of tomato paste
• 750 mls of organic vegetable stock
• 1x 400ml can of organic cannellini beans, rinsed well
• 2 carrots, finely diced
• 1 large onion or 2 smaller onions, diced
• 6 -8 fresh basil leaves, finely sliced
• A few good shakes of dried oregano
• salt and freshly ground black pepper, a number of good grinds

Instructions

Add your olive oil to a large pot and add your diced onion and carrots.

Start with high heat and once sizzling, turn down to low and cook until soft.

Now add your tomatoes, vegetable stock, tomato paste, cannellini beans, salt and pepper and stir.

Cover pot and simmer for 60-90 minutes giving it a stir now and then.

Take off heat and add your fresh basil and oregano.

Cool for 5 minutes and then pour your mix into a blender with your fresh basil leaves and oregano blend until smooth.

Return your soup to the large pot and heat up before serving.

Bon Appetit

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