8
Serves
Preparation time: 30 minutes
Cooking time: 40 minutes
A soothing soup is one of the most nourishing and practical meals possible. And a chunky soup like this one that focuses on low-GL carbohydrates, such as barley and beans, and Magic veggies like carrots and spinach, provides maximum satisfaction for just a few calories. Infusing canned low-sodium broth with garlic and herbs freshens the flavor and makes it taste as good as homemade.
7 cups reduced-sodium chicken broth or vegetable broth
6 garlic cloves, peeled and crushed
2 sprigs fresh rosemary (4 1/2 inches/10 centimeters long)
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper
1 can (19 or 15 ounces/540 or 398 milliliters) dark red kidney beans, drained and rinsed
2 teaspoons olive oil
1 cup chopped onion (1 medium)
1 cup diced peeled carrots (3–4 medium)
1/4 cup diced celery (1 stalk)
1 can (14 1/2 ounces/398 milliliters) diced tomatoes
1 cup quick-cooking barley
10 cups baby spinach, washed
Freshly ground pepper to taste
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1. Bring the broth to a boil in a large saucepan. Add the garlic, rosemary, and crushed red pepper. Partially cover the saucepan and simmer over medium-low heat for 15 minutes to intensify flavor. Strain the broth through a sieve into a large bowl. Discard the solids.
2. Mash 1 cup of the kidney beans in a small bowl with a fork. Set the whole and mashed beans aside. Heat the oil in a 4- to 6-quart (4- to 6-liter) soup pot over medium heat. Add the onion, carrots, and celery. Cook, stirring often, until softened, 3 to 4 minutes. Pour in the infused broth. Add the tomatoes, barley, and reserved mashed and whole beans. Bring to a simmer, stirring occasionally. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and cook at a lively simmer until the barley is almost tender, about 15 minutes.
3. Stir in the spinach. Cover and cook until the spinach has wilted and the barley is tender, 3 to 5 minutes. Season with pepper. Top each serving with 1 tablespoon Parmesan cheese. One serving is 1 1/3 cups. The soup will keep, covered, in the refrigerator for up to 2 days.
Per serving: 197 calories, 12 g protein, 30 g carbohydrates, 7 g fiber, 4 g total fat, 1 g saturated fat, 757 mg sodium.