Classic White Navy Bean with Turkey Bacon Soup

Many years ago canned “Bean with Bacon Soup” was one of my favorites. It was a comfort food for me and later I learned it was one of  my husband’s favorites too. We didn’t know each other at the time, but we grew up in the same era.

What a convenience canned soup was. Just heat and eat. Now I look at a can of that same soup and am in disbelief at the amount of sodium it contains, as well as other ingredients I would never eat today.

Soup in general is one of my favorite foods and when imagining a new recipe to make, I decided to try to recreate my old classic favorite. Both my husband and I agree that it is actually better than the old version and is definitely healthier.

The bay leaf and the tomato paste are the key to the amazing flavor. Along with the health benefits of the beans and veggies and the turkey bacon, this soup is a winner. And it doesn’t take long to make either.

REVAMPED HEALTHIER REAL FOOD INGREDIENTS

I cook a batch of turkey bacon ahead of time and keep it in the freezer for quick meals. If you need to cook your bacon, do it first. Chop a couple of strips of bacon into pieces to use later.

Then dice a carrot and some celery and onion. Chop the celery leaves and save for garnishing.

In a stainless steel pot, cook the carrots, celery and onion in a small amount of olive oil, stirring until the vegetables are tender. Sprinkle in a little salt and pepper and stir.

I recommend using Eden Organic No Salt Added Navy Beans in a BPA Free Can for my soup because the ingredients are “Organic Navy Beans, Water and Kombu Seaweed” only. So, I don’t mind using the liquid in my soup.

Now add the navy beans to the pot, liquid and all if you use Eden beans. If you use another brand of canned beans, go ahead and drain them. Feel free to cook dry beans from scratch if that’s your preference.

Pour in some chicken broth and stir well. While stirring, mash some of the beans up against the side of the pan to make the soup a little thicker.

Next add a little tomato paste and stir until combined, then drop one bay leaf in the soup. The tomato paste and the bay leaf are the key to the great flavor of this soup.

Stir in the bacon pieces and let simmer for another minute. Spoon into a bowl and garnish with the celery leaves and a turn of a pepper mill and serve.

With each spoonful I was taken back in time a little. Enjoy!

Legumes are a “Fiber All Star” and a great source of protein. White beans are loaded with antioxidants, provide a good supply of magnesium and are considered a low glycemic index food. Low glycemic index foods typically have a predictable impact on blood sugar levels and don’t trigger blood sugar spikes.