Herby Tuscan Bean & Vegetable Soup
Makes around 6 servings | Prep Time 20 minutes | Cook Time 20 minutes
Head to India and Pakistan, where they’ve been practicing Ayurvedic medicine for 5,000 years, for detoxing and improving memory. Kitchari, which means “mixture,” is a thousand-year-old staple, and its really quite simple, traditionally being made with basmati rice, mung beans, and ghee. I’ve kicked it up quite a bit, adding onion, ginger, cauliflower, coriander, turmeric, and cumin. The result is the spice mixture of a dahl combined with kitchari’s texture.
Instructions
In a bowl, stir together the beans, 2 teaspoons of the lemon juice, and a pinch of salt. Set aside.
In a soup pot, heat the olive oil over medium heat, then add the onion and a pinch of salt and sauté until translucent, about 4 minutes. Add the garlic, carrots, celery, oregano, pepper, and 1⁄4 teaspoon salt, and sauté for 4 minutes more. Pour in the reserved tomato juice and 1⁄2 cup of the stock to deglaze the pot, stirring to loosen any bits stuck to the bottom, and cook until the liquid is reduced by half.
Stir in the zucchini, tomatoes, and beans, the remaining 51⁄2 cups of stock, and 1⁄4 teaspoon salt. Bring to a boil over medium heat, then decrease the heat and simmer until the vegeta- bles are tender. Stir the remaining 2 teaspoons of lemon juice and the lemon zest, arugula, parsley, basil, and another 1⁄4 teaspoon salt. Store in an airtight container in the refrigera- tor for up to 5 days or in the freezer for up to 3 months.
VARIATION: Basil is in season from mid to late summer. In the winter, replace the basil with 1 teaspoon fresh rosemary, 2 teaspoons fresh sage, and 2 tablespoons fresh parsley.
Reprinted with permission from Clean Soups by Rebecca Katz
Ingredients
2 cups cooked cannellini beans, or 1 (15-ounce) can cannellini beans, rinsed
4 teaspoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
Sea salt
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 yellow onion, finely diced 2 cloves garlic, minced
2 large carrots, peeled and finely diced
4 stalks celery, finely chopped
2 teaspoons chopped fresh oregano, or 1⁄2 teaspoon dried oregano
1⁄4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
1 zucchini, finely chopped
1 (14.5-ounce) can diced tomatoes, drained and juice reserved
6 cups Old-Fashioned Chicken Stock (page 39), Magic Mineral Broth (page 35), or Nourishing Bone Broth (page 41)
1 teaspoon lemon zest
2 cups tightly packed baby arugula
3 tablespoons finely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
3 tablespoons finely chopped fresh basil