White Bean Vegetable Soup

I am glad that I finally made a bean soup and that I used those parsnips that were just lounging in my fridge for the past week or so. Parsnips really taste a lot like carrots, but I find they're more chewy and less crunchy and have more of a zing to them.

I am so glad I made this soup, and you will be too! I found that it did not require more salt beyond that which I added during the initial sauteing of the garlic, which was only about three shakes. This could be because of the broth I used - Trader Joe's Organic "Free Range" Chicken Broth; I'll have to check its sodium content. Anyway, this soup is hearty and nutritious and can definitely be eaten as a meal.


White Bean Vegetable Soup

Ingredients:
2 cans of cooked cannelli beans (drained)
1/4 tablespoon of butter
olive oil
3-4 parsnips, peeled and chopped
1/3-1/2 cup of chopped carrots
1/3 cup of sliced mushrooms (I used baby bellas, but you can use whichever are to your liking)
1/3-1/2 cup of chopped celery stalks
5 cloves of garlic, finely chopped
2 sprigs of fresh thyme
4 cups of chicken or vegetable stock
parsley (optional)
freshly ground black pepper
sea salt

Preparation:
1. Coat the bottom of a pot with olive oil.  Turn the heat up to low-medium flame and add the butter. After the butter has melted (don't let it burn!), add the chopped garlic, thyme sprigs, some sea salt, and black pepper (about 1/2 teaspoon) and saute the garlic for about one minute.
2. Add the chopped mushrooms to the pot, sauteing them for about 1-2 minutes.  Then add the parsnips, stirring so that everything gets coated with some oil. After 1 minute, add the carrots and celery. Saute everything for about 5 minutes, but not for much longer -- you don't want to overcook the vegetables and make them mushy!
3. Add the broth and bring the soup to a boil, then let it simmer for a while.  Test taste some of the rougher vegetables, such as the parsnips and celery, to ensure that are not too firm. Simmer for about 5 minutes. First remove the thyme sprigs, then add the drained cannelli beans. Since the beans are already cooked, you don't have to heat them for long. Bring the soup back to a boil, then simmer it for roughly 10 minutes. Serve with some chopped parsley and fresh black pepper.