white bean spinach parmesan soup

 This white beans spinach parmesan soup was a really big hit with guests.  It makes a lot but it uses up the 5# of white beans in my cupboard.

If using dried beans, set them to soak the night before (or two nights before if you're party prepping) and cook, then and save some of their cooking liquid and reduce the stock to 4 cups. 

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 yellow onion diced
• 6-8 cloves garlic minced
• 6 cups vegetable broth/stock (or less with bean liquid)
• 15 ounces (420 g) can diced tomatoes (or a few fresh tomatoes)
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• 1 tablespoon Italian dried herbs (I used rosemary, thyme, oregano, and basil)
  
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• ½ teaspoon black pepper
• 4 (15 ounce) cans white beans (cannellini beans), drained and rinsed
• 4 cups chopped baby spinach (about 6 ounces)
• 3/4 cup fresh grated Parmesan cheese (for serving)
• 3 tablespoons chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley (for serving)
  

Instructions

• In a large pot or saucepan, heat olive over medium high heat. Add onion and garlic; cook until onions are translucent and garlic is fragrant (about 2-3 minutes), while stirring occasionally. Add in the broth, tomatoes, sugar, Italian herbs, salt and pepper.
• Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer for 5 minutes to combine all of the flavours together.
• Stir in the beans and heat up.  (Note: I let it simmer about 30 minutes for the dried herbs to come to life and everything to really come together) Then add spinach and ontinue to simmer gently until the spinach has wilted (about 2 minutes). 
• Take off heat. . Taste test, adjust salt and pepper if needed.Serve immediately, with side of parmesan and fresh parsley to add to taste.
  

vegetarianish

 I've been noticing for awhile that meat is less than appealing to me.  Especially in modern-day America, what do we really have?  Chicken, beef, pork?  Pork upsets my digestion if I do more than a bit of seasoning with it, and chicken is getting there.  I kind of force myself to eat it because I want to get the protein, but I don't enjoy it.  Beef is ... ok, and I like things like ground beef in chili and such.  But ... meh.  I do eat a fair amount of salmon because it's local and I can tell my brain works better with it.  And I've been on a bit of a cheese jag, and of course yogurt is always central to my diet, but I'm not a fan of the milk industry and I can't get local humane dairy.  I cannot eat eggs on their own (fried, scrambled, etc.) unless I want some raving diarrhea (they're still fine mixed into baked goods, thankfully).  I currently have a chicken carcass simmering to can up some broth and it got me thinking ... as much as I love chicken broth, could I make a vegetable broth that I love as much?  Like with dried mushrooms and such? 

What has been exciting to me for years is vegetables.  While a typical American supermarket produce department isn't often that exciting , farmers markets goods are much more so.  I'm eating pea shoots today for lunch for the first time thanks to a local farmer.  And what I can grow delights as well.  And there are sometimes interesting things that come through a produce department that I have to keep an eye for.  I've also found a pretty good source for things like beans and nuts, which were harder to get in my last location.  And there's an Asian market I need to go check out.  

While when younger I was vegetarianish, something I've chafed against is the rigidness of it and how demanding people can be about it.  I absolutely refuse expensive substitutes, believing that a vegetarian diet can provide more interest than a meat-focused one so why substitute for something inferior?  

Simultaneously, I've been finding processed foods repulsive (they've never been a big part of my life, and now I'm especially eschewing them), and kicking sugar is a very good plan for me. And more of my friends are going "plant-based" in an enthusiastic manner.  Some for reasons like becoming friends with a pig, others as a lifesaving measure with health issues.  I read an interesting article recently about how veganism is more popular among African-Americans, and that tracks with my friends and I'm interested in this "vegan soul food" and such for good ideas.  

So, this is no manifesto or oath to live with no animal products.  It's just a recognition that if I'd rather eat white beans instead of chicken, that I should just eat the damn white beans.  And maybe try some other things, like vegetable broth.  

Back from decades ago when vegetarianish, I quite liked a lentil shepherd's pie I used to make, probably similar to this.

A good reminder of black bean and sweet potato burritos (good for breakfasts, something I struggle with). 

Sweet potato-millet pancakes sound great. As does this sweet potato breakfast bowl with savory granola. Savory turmeric chickpea oats?  Hm

Stoked to make this baked oatmeal with a too-sour apple and blueberries about to turn.

Vegetarian posole?  Why not!  While the homemade chicken broth is a great, the chicken is my least favorite part, and I don't even consider pork.  Why not use beans?

Watching Ask the Doctor and they were making lentil burgers with potato so I found this Aussie recipe that looks tasty.  Another option for lentil patties.  Some whole wheat buns to go with them.