White Bean And Ham Soup

White bean and ham soup is an ideal dish for the winters. It is both tasty as well as nutritious. A healthy meal option for the cold season, this soup is easy to prepare and tastes delicious when served hot.

Ingredients:

• 2 cans of white beans, well rinsed and drained
• One small onion, finely chopped
• 2 carrots, diced
• 2 tablespoons of margarine or butter
• One and a half cups of fully cooked and cubed ham
• 2 cups of water
• A pinch of pepper
• One bay leaf
• Half a teaspoon of salt

Preparation time: 30 minutes

Directions & serving size:

1. This recipe will yield approximately 8 servings
2. First fill a large pot with the water and bring it to a boil.
3. Thereafter take the pot off the heat and add the beans. The beans should be allowed to soak in this water for some time
4. In another pan sauté the onions and the carrots in the butter
5. Slowly stir in the ham, water, beans and seasonings and mix well
6. Allow this mixture to heat well till all the ingredients are cooked
7. Ensure that the bay leaf is discarded before serving the soup

You can also check 'baked beans soup recipe with pepper and spinach'

Serving instructions:  White bean and ham soup may be served along with some Tabasco sauce to give it a spicy taste. This soup may also be garnished with a pinch of freshly chopped parsley.

Nutritional Value Per Serving

• Calories: 374
• Fat: 28.9 g
• Cholesterol:63 mg
• Sodium:557mg
• Carbohydrates :36.1 g
• Protein:32.4 g

Health Benefits

• White bean and ham soup is known to be an excellent source of proteins, carbohydrates and fats and hence can suffice as a complete meal.
  The calories provided by the white bean and ham soup are known to be sufficient to keep you active till your next full meal.
• White bean and ham soup also helps in providing you with the required fiber intake. Fiber is also known as bulk or roughage  which helps in losing weight as it keeps you feeling full for a longer period of time.
• White bean and ham soup is also a source of vitamin A which is an important vitamin required to maintain overall good health of your eyes. Vitamin A is also required to prevent eye related medical conditions and also protect the cornea.

Tips

For those who do not want to use ham in the white bean and ham soup, you may use bacon instead.