Simple White Bean, Swiss Chard, and Tomato Soup

It's been about 2 months since my last post and I hope that will be the longest gap by far that I'll ever have away from this blog! Between a big promotion at work, buying a house, and moving from the Bay Area to Seattle, I can say that I am certainly coming out of one of the busiest periods of my life, which didn't leave much time for either cooking or blogging. Fortunately, now that we're getting settled in Seattle (we just made the big move last week), I'm planning to re-balance and get back to the cooking and creating that I love. My recipes are also apt to become even more seasonal, as the Northwest has true seasons as opposed to California which never really gets a winter and has very extended and different growing seasons. In the short time that we've been in Seattle the weather has actually been beautiful with little rain, and I have to say that I missed the fallen leaves and crisp, clean air. It also makes you want to roast, bake, and make soups. Even with our kitchen a little bit of a mess with the move-in process, I was able to easily whip up this simple, delicious soup (which also happens to be vegan). A great one for the weeknights served with some good bread.

Simple White Bean, Swiss Chard, and Tomato Soup
Serves 4

Active Time: 20 minutes
Total Time: 45 minutes

1 T. extra virgin olive oil
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 bunches swiss or rainbow chard, leaves separated from stems, with stems diced and leaves well chopped
2 cans cannellini or great northern white beans, rinsed and drained
2 14.5 oz cans diced tomatoes
1/4 t. crushed red pepper flakes
4 c. low sodium vegetable broth or 4 c. water with 2 low-sodium vegetable bouillon cubes
Kosher salt
Black pepper
1 T. aged balsamic vinegar

Heat a large stockpot or dutch oven with the tablespoon of olive oil over medium heat. Add the garlic and chard stems and cook, stirring occasionally, until stems start to soften, about 3-5 minutes. Add the tomatoes with their juices, the drained beans, red pepper flakes, the vegetable stock or water w/bouillon and 1 t. kosher salt. Bring to a near-boil, add the chard stems, and stir until they start to wilt and become incorporated into the soup, a few minutes. Reduce the heat to low and simmer for about 25 minutes, or even longer if you have the time - it only gets better. Stir in the balsamic vinegar, add some freshly ground black pepper, and taste for seasoning (my bouillon cubes were no sodium so I added another 1 1/2 t. of kosher salt). This recipe is also great reheated the next day.

Celery Root, Cabbage, White Bean, and Potato Soup

I realize that for some of you who are experiencing very warm early spring weather, soup might not appeal to you, but for those of us on the West Coast where things are still slightly rainy/snowy/cloudy, a big bowl of soup can be just what you feel like for dinner. The picture here probably doesn't do the flavors of this soup justice - while simple, the way the celery root, cabbage, potato, and white bean work together is superb, and even better with a topping of parmesan cheese and a drizzle of olive oil to finish it off. I've been getting more cabbage in my CSA box which has inspired me to try to use it in different ways, but my favorite way to use it is still in soup. Even if you think you don't like cabbage, give this a try.  It has become one of the very few things I make which I actually repeat. You can also make this without the celery root if you can't find it and just use more potatoes.

Active Time: 30 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour

Serves 4-6

Extra virgin olive oil
2 lb. celery root, peeled and diced into small pieces
1/2 lb. yukon gold potatoes, diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 c. spring onions or leeks, sliced
1/2 of one large or 1 small head of cabbage, sliced into strips and roughly chopped
1 15oz. can cannelini beans, rinsed and drained
5 c. low sodium vegetable broth
Kosher salt
Black pepper
Freshly grated parmesan cheese, for serving

Heat 2T olive oil in a large stockpot or dutch oven over medium heat. Add the onions/leeks and garlic and saute for about 2-3 minutes until starting to soften. Add the celery root and potatoes, a pinch of salt, and some freshly ground black pepper. Saute for about 10 minutes more, stirring occassionally, Add the stock and scrape any brown bits from the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to a medium-low simmer. Add the cabbage and stir to incorporate, then add the beans and 1t. salt. Simmer for another 20-30 minutes, or until the potatoes and celery root are tender. Taste for additional seasoning (even low-sodium stocks vary), then ladle into bowls and top with the freshly grated parmesan cheese and a drizzle of olive oil.

Butternut Squash, Chard, and White Bean Orecchiette

Sometimes it's difficult to use up a whole butternut squash and not get sick of it. Unless I'm making soup, I generally buy them smaller in size, and use it in a few different recipes as an accent (i.e. the Fall Moroccan Tagine that I recently posted) rather than the feature of a dish. I actually used the other half of the butternut squash I had from making that dish (it keeps well in the fridge) to come up with this quick pasta using just a few ingredients that I had on hand - green swiss chard, a can of cannellini beans, and some orecchiette pasta. It was a great weeknight meal not only because it's well balanced - getting your vegetables, protein, and carbohydrates in one bowl - but also because it's relatively quick, and the flavors all went together even better than I expected. When the butternut squash is roasted and paired with the earthy beans and chard, it takes on more of a savory quality in this dish than sweet, and I think you'll like it! This makes enough for 2, but can easily be doubled for more people.

Butternut Squash, Chard, and White Bean Orecchiette
Serves 2

Active Time: 15 minutes
Total Time: 45 minutes

Extra virgin olive oil
1/2 small or about 2 cups butternut squash, peeled and cubed
1/2 bunch green, swiss, or rainbow chard, leaves removed and chopped
6 oz. orecchiette or other small pasta (shells would also work)
1 15 oz. can cannellini or other white beans, drained and rinsed
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 t. crushed red pepper flakes
Kosher salt
Black pepper

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Toss the squash in a little olive oil, season with a pinch of salt, and lay out on a sheet pan. Roast for about 30 minutes (mine went a little longer and was slightly browned on the bottom but still tasted great).

Meanwhile, heat a pot of water and cook the pasta until al dente, reserving 1/4 c. of the cooking water before draining. Additionally, heat 1 T. olive oil over medium heat in a large skillet or saucepan. Add the garlic and crushed red pepper and cook for about 30 seconds, then add the chard, cover, and cook for about 2-3 minutes, stirring once or twice, until wilted. Remove the lid, add the beans, and simmer over low heat until the pasta is done.

Combine the pasta, squash, greens/bean mixture, and cooking water along with 1 t. kosher salt and some freshly ground black pepper. Stir for 1-2 minutes until everything combines and a light sauce forms. Divide into pasta bowls and serve.

Green Enchiladas

Enchiladas are becoming one of my favorite thing to make when we're in the mood for Mexican food, and they actually can be healthy when you pack them with fresh vegetables and don't go overboard on the cheese. They are a little bit time consuming, but I attempted to cut down on the prep time here by making a green tomatillo and cilantro sauce that whips us easily in the blender. Like lasagna, enchiladas are something where you can vary the ingredients depending on the season to take advantage of what is fresh (see my prior post for enchiladas with yams in the fall/winter). For this recipe, I made one big batch (since you're already doing the work) and divided the enchiladas into one pan with 8 and another one with 4. You can either cook them all at once or pop one of the pans in the freezer for the future - just put it in the fridge the night before you want to make it to allow it to unthaw and cook per the same instructions the following night.

Green Enchiladas
Serves 6 (2 enchiladas each)

Active Time: 40 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour, 15 minutes

1 lb. roma tomatoes, diced
1 lb. yellow summer squash, halved and cut into thin half moons
Two 15 oz. cans pinto beans, drained and rinsed
2 yellow onions, peeled, halved, with one onion thinly sliced and one cut into chunks
3 cloves garlic, peeled
1 lb. tomatillos, husks removed, rinsed, and quartered
2 serrano peppers (for medium spiciness, or use only 1 for mild), with stems cut off
2 c. cilantro, chopped
1 c. low sodium vegetable broth
4 oz. queso fresco cheese, crumbled
6 oz. monterey jack cheese, grated
12 whole wheat tortillas (about 8'' in diameter)
Extra virgin olive oil
Kosher salt
Black pepper
Avocado, sliced, for garnish

Prep all of the vegetables, rinse/drain the beans, and preheat the oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit. Heat 1 T. olive oil in a large skillet over high heat and 1 T. olive oil in another large skillet over medium heat. Put the whole tomatillos, garlic cloves, onion chunks, and serrano peppers in the skillet on high heat. Cook 3 minutes, making sure that they get some color, then turn and cook 2 minutes more. Transfer to a blender.  Meanwhile, in the other skillet, add the squash and sliced onion and a pinch of salt and pepper. Cook about 8-10 minutes until softened, then transfer to a large bowl.

In the blender with the tomatillos, peppers, and onion, add 1 c. of the cilantro, 1 c. of vegetable broth, and 1/2 t. kosher salt. Blend until smooth.

In the bowl with the squash and onions, add the beans, tomatoes, the other cup of chopped cilantro, the queso fresco cheese, 1 1/2 t. kosher salt and 1/2 t. black pepper. Stir to combine.

Add 1/2 c. of the green enchilada sauce from the blender to a 9x13'' baking pan and 1/4 c. of the sauce to an 8x8'' baking pan. Heat the tortillas in the microwave between two pieces of dampened paper towel for about 45 seconds - 1 minute to soften.

Get everything together in one area (tortillas, sauce, bowl of filling, and pans) to assemble the enchiladas.  To do this, take one tortilla at a time, put it on a plate, scoop a generous amount of filling along the middle, then roll it up and place it seam-side down into the pan. Repeat with the remaining tortillas, putting 8 in the 9x13'' pan and 4 in the 8x8'' pan. Then, top with the remaining enchilada sauce, using your fingers to help you spread the sauce, trying to moisten each enchilada (and keep it from drying out too much during cooking). Top with the monterey jack cheese. From here you can either bake all of the enchiladas at once, or freeze either the smaller or larger pan if you'd like.

Bake for about 35 minutes until the cheese starts to turn golden brown. Let sit for a couple of minutes before serving, then divide onto serving plates and top with sliced avocado.

Ultimate Veggie Chili

I've made many a chili recipe in my day, and while they have all been pretty good, I wanted to create a veggie chili that had the right amount of heat, was full of vegetables, and hearty enough to be a full meal. This recipe actually includes bulgur wheat, which I've seen in chilis before and creates a great texture plus adds a whole grain component. Combined with fresh corn and a combination of spices, this is my favorite version of veggie chili yet.

Ultimate Veggie Chili
Serves 6-8

Active time: 15 minutes
Total Time: 40 minutes

Extra virgin olive oil
1 large onion, chopped
2 carrots, diced
1 green bell pepper, diced (I'm not normally a huge fan of these but they're good in this)
3 garlic cloves, minced
Kosher salt
1 T. ancho chili powder
2 t. ground cumin
2 t. unsweetened cocoa powder
2 t. smoked paprika
1/2 t. cayenne pepper
28 oz. diced tomatoes
1 c. bulgur wheat
2 c. water
15 oz. can red chili beans (or use 2 cans pinto beans instead of 1), drained and rinsed
15 oz. can pinto beans, drained and rinsed
2 ears fresh corn, kernels removed
Fresh cilantro, chopped
Grated pepper jack cheese

Heat 2 T. olive oil in a large stockpot or dutch oven over medium heat. Add the onion, carrots, green pepper, garlic cloves, and 1/2 t. kosher salt. Cook, stirring occasionally, until starting to soften, about 5 minutes.

Stir in the ancho chili powder, cumin, cocoa powder, smoked paprika, and cayenne until the vegetables are coated. Add the tomatoes and their juices, the bulgur wheat, 2 c. water, 1 t. kosher salt, and the two cans of beans, and bring to a low boil. Add the corn, reduce the heat to low and simmer for 20-25 minutes. Serve into bowls and top with fresh cilantro and any other toppings of your choice, such as grated pepper jack cheese.

Fresh and Quick Mexican Bowl

As I've been adjusting to my new job, I've found that I generally have less time to throw dinner together than I used to, so you'll start to see more recipes from me that can be prepared in 30 minutes or less. This particular recipe is one that I've been making for a while and never disappoints. It's best heading into summer when you can get fresh corn, but frozen would also work too in a pinch. A tip about removing kernels from the cob - use a serrated knife and do it in a bowl - makes it much easier.

This dish is fresh, light, and highlights some of the early summer produce - corn, summer squash, and avocados. The best part is that it comes together in about 15 minutes. Seriously!

Fresh and Quick Mexican Bowl
Serves 2

Active Time: 10 minutes
Total Time: 15 minutes

Extra virgin olive oil
2 ears corn, husked and kernels removed
2 small zucchini or summer squash, diced
1 bunch green onions, green and white parts, thinly sliced
1 t. ancho chili powder
1/2 t. smoked (not sweet) paprika
1/2 t. kosher salt
1 15-oz can black beans, drained and rinsed
1/2 avocado, thinly sliced
Salsa of your choice
Queso fresco cheese

Heat 1 T. olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the corn, zucchini, green onions, ancho chili powder, smoked paprika, and salt and saute for 5 minutes. Separate into two deep bowls and top with the black beans, salsa, avocado, and queso fresco.

Brussel Sprout, White Bean, Shallot, and Almond Sauté

I missed the farmer's market this past Sunday (we were snowshoeing in Tahoe after a day of skiing at Squaw on Saturday) but was pleased to fine a good looking crop of brussel sprouts in our local grocery store. I have mentioned this before, but the key to good, non-bitter brussel sprouts, are picking out those that are smaller in size and firm when squeezed. I normally roast brussel sprouts (toss with olive oil, salt & pepper and roast at 425 degrees for about 30 minutes until browned) but I made a sauteed brussel sprout dish over the holidays that turned me on to stovetop brussel sprouts. Quick, easy, and they still get that wonderful carmelized flavor. I also loved that this could be made in one pan. We ate this between the two of us as a main dish with some good whole wheat seed rolls, but this could also be served as a hearty side.

Brussel Sprout, White Bean, Shallot, and Almond Sauté

Serves 2 as main dish, 4 as a side

Active Time: 30 minutes

Total Time: 30 minutes

1 T. olive oil

3 shallots (about 1/4 lb.), thinly sliced

1 lb. brussel sprouts, thinly sliced

15 oz. can white cannelini or Northern beans, drained and rinsed

1/2 c. slivered almonds

1/2 c. freshly grated parmesan cheese
1/2 t. herbs de provence
1/2 lemon
Kosher salt
Black pepper

Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the shallots and saute, breaking up with a spoon and stirring often, until starting to brown, about 5 minutes.

Meanwhile, toast the almonds over low heat in a small skillet. Remove from the pan and set aside.

Add the brussel sprouts and herbs de provence and saute for an additional 10 minutes, stirring occassionally, until they are starting to soften and brown. Add the beans, 1/2 t. kosher salt, and 1/4 t. black pepper, and cook, stirring, for an additional 2-3 minutes.

Turn off the heat and add the almonds to the pan as well as juice from the 1/2 lemon and the 1/2 c. parmesan cheese, stirring to combine. Taste for additional seasoning, adding additional salt & pepper if desired, and serve.

Winter Minestrone Stew

My apologies for the long absence since my last post! Between traveling for Thanksgiving, our two-week honeymoon to Australia and New Zealand, and Christmas, I haven't been as active in creating or posting recipes. This soup I actually threw together the day after we got back from our honeymoon. We loved the food in New Zealand (I gained a lot of inspiration for food/flavor combinations that I am looking forward to experimenting with) but after two weeks of 3-course dinners every night, we were ready for a healthy but hearty meal. This technically is not a minestrone soup since it doesn't contain pasta, but the flavors are very similar. Plus, given how stocked full of vegetables that this stew is, I couldn't even fit pasta in it if I wanted to! This is now my favorite way to make minestrone and the best part is it tastes even better the next day. I am presenting this recipe a little bit differently to make preparing it the most efficient - chopping certain components as you go along rather than all ahead of time.

Winter Minestrone Soup
Serves 6-8

Active Time: 30 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour 15 minutes

Extra virgin olive oil
1 onion
4 ribs celery
3 carrots
1 bunch red or rainbow chard
4 cloves garlic
1 T. tomato paste
28 oz. can whole peeled tomatoes (such as San Marzano)
4 c. low-sodium vegetable stock
2 bay leaves
1/2 Savoy cabbage
Parmesan rind (optional)
15 oz. can cannellini beans
15 oz. can red kidney beans
Kosher salt
Pepper
Freshly grated parmesan cheese, for serving

Dice the onion, celery, and carrots. In a large dutch oven or stock pot (I used a 5.5 qt dutch oven and just barely fit everything), heat 1 T. olive oil over medium heat. Add the onion, carrots, and celery, and season with 1/2 t. kosher salt and 1/8 t. pepper.

Meanwhile, separate the chard ribs/stems from the leaves. Dice the ribs/stems and set the leaves aside. Add the chard stems to the pot, stir to combine, and saute until softened, about 10 minutes.

Mince the 4 cloves of garlic and add the garlic to the pot, cooking for 2-3 minutes more.

Add the 1 T. tomato paste, stirring to combine. Add the can of tomatoes, vegetable stock, and the bay leaves. Bring the heat up until the soup reaches a low boil.

Meanwhile, chop the chard leaves into thin strips. Add to the pot, stirring to incorporate. While the chard is wilting down in the pot, remove the core from the 1/2 head of cabbage and also cut into thin strips. Add to the pot, stirring to incorporate, as well as the parmesan rind, if using.

Add 1 T. kosher salt and 1/2 t. pepper. Reduce heat to simmer and let simmer, covered, for 30 minutes, stirring once or twice.

Rinse and drain the beans, add them to the pot, and simmer, covered, for an additional 15 minutes. Taste and adjust for seasoning - I found that I needed to add another 1/2 t. kosher salt. You may also want to try to break up a few of the whole tomatoes with a wooden spoon if they have not done so naturally through the cooking process.

Ladle into bowls and top with parmesan cheese. Enjoy!

Bean and Sweet Potato Chili

I love creating healthy and hearty soups. Sweet potatoes are something that you might not normally find in soup, or in chili for that matter, but it works so well combined with these tomatoes, beans, and spices. We are getting into the season where sweet potatoes and other root vegetables are at their peak, so I'm always looking for new ways to use them.  This chili will please even guys who are used to meat and bean chili - it's hearty, spicy, and satisfying.

I used 2 serrano chiles here - one seeded and one left with the seeds left in - and found that it was the perfect amount of heat for me (if akin to salsa this would be medium spicy). However, if you like less heat, take the seeds out of both chiles, or if you like more heat, leave them all in. I cooked the sweet potatoes in the chili by simmering it for over an hour, but to cut down on the cooking time, you could either a) cook the sweet potatoes in the oven the night before, let cool, peel, cut up and throw in the soup, or b) peel, cut, and roast the sweet potatoes in the oven while the soup is simmering and add them in later - in either case you'd still want to simmer the soup for at least minutes once you add the potatoes to let the flavors come together.

Bean and Sweet Potato Chili
Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1 yellow onion, roughly diced
1 large pasilla pepper, diced
2 serrano chiles, 1 seeded and 1 left with the seeds in, minced
2-3 cloves garlic, minced
1 T. ancho chile powder
2 t. ground cumin
2 large sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1/2'' pieces
1 28 oz. (or two 15 oz.) cans diced tomatoes
1 15 oz. can crushed tomatoes
1 c. vegetable broth
1 15 oz. can pinto beans
1 15 oz. can black beans

Heat 1 T. olive oil over medium heat in a large dutch oven or stockpot. Add the onion, pepper, chiles, and garlic and saute until softened, about 5-7 minutes.

Meanwhile, peel and cut the potatoes into approximately 1/2'' pieces (not too big or they will take a long time to cook). Add the potatoes, chile powder, and cumin to the pot and stir to combine. Cook for 2-3 minutes, stirring frequently.

Add the diced and crushed tomatoes, vegetable browth and beans and stir to combine. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to simmer, and let cook for about 1 hour and 15 minutes, or until sweet potatoes are fork tender.
If you'd like, serve with a dollop of sour cream, cheese, or some cilantro to top it off.

Garnet Yam, Black Bean, and Rainbow Chard Enchiladas

I was having my good friend Sara over last night and wanted to make her something especially wonderful for dinner. She loves fall flavors like yams and sweet potatoes but also loves Mexican food. I have developed a great vegetarian enchiladas recipe that I make in the summer with corn and summer squash, and thought, why not make the fall version? The combination of yams, chard, black beans, and queso fresco in the filling is so good, we had no problem polishing off 2 enchiladas each. This recipe does take a little time because you have to roast the yams first and then assemble the enchiladas, but you could always roast the yams a day ahead of time and keep them in the fridge until you're ready to make the dish, or make the entire thing a day ahead of time and just pop it in the oven when you're ready to serve it.

Garnet Yam, Black Bean, and Rainbow Chard Enchiladas
Serves 4-6

Extra virgin olive oil

4 cloves garlic, minced

3 T. flour

2 c. low-sodium vegetable stock

15 oz. can fire-roasted tomatoes with chiles (you could also use canned fire-roasted or plain diced tomatoes and add a small can of green chiles)

1 T. ancho chili powder

1 ½ t. ground cumin

4 oz. queso fresco (Mexican cheese)

15 oz. can black beans, rinsed and drained

2 lb. garnet yams (about 3 medium or 2 large yams), peeled and cut into ¾’’ pieces

1 bunch rainbow or swiss chard, leaves only, rinsed and roughly chopped (save the stems for another use - coming soon!)

8 whole wheat tortillas

4 oz. pepper jack cheese, grated

Light sour cream, for topping (optional)

Kosher salt

Preheat the oven to 425°F. Toss the cut yams in a large bowl with 2 t. olive oil and season with ½ t. salt. Transfer the yams to a baking sheet and spread in an even layer. Roast the yams until tender, approximately 45 minutes.

Meanwhile, make the enchilada sauce. Heat 2 T. olive oil in a medium-sized saucepan over medium heat. Once the oil is hot, add the garlic and sauté until fragrant, approximately 30 seconds. Add 3 T. of flour to the pan and whisk together with the garlic and olive oil. Continue whisking and cook for about another 30 seconds or a minute more to allow the mixture to cook a little. Gradually add in the 2 cups of vegetable stock, whisking constantly to ensure a smooth consistency. Bring to a low boil, then reduce the heat to a simmer and stir in the diced tomatoes and their juices, chili powder, and cumin. If using low-sodium stock, add 1 t. of kosher salt. Allow to simmer for 10-15 minutes to thicken a little, stirring occasionally.

Heat 1 t. olive oil in a large sauté pan or stockpot over medium heat. Add the chard, cover, and cook for approximately 5 minutes or until chard is wilted, stirring occasionally. Season with 1/4 t. kosher salt and set aside in the bowl you used for the yams.

When the yams are done, pull them out, and decrease the temperature of the oven to 375°F. In the large bowl containing the chard, add the black beans (drained), cooked yams, and queso fresco cheese, crumbling as you add it. Stir together to combine. This is the filling for the enchiladas.

Put the stack of tortillas in between two sheets of dampened paper towel on a plate and microwave for approximately 1-2 minutes or until warm. This will make it easier to assemble the enchiladas. Grate the pepper jack cheese if you have not already done so.

Grease a large rectangular baking dish (I used a 4.5 qt Pyrex, one size larger than a 13x9x2 but use whatever you have that you think you can fit 8 enchiladas into). Get all of the components in one area for easy assembly (the baking pan, the filling mixture, the tortillas, the saucepan with the sauce, and a plate). To begin, spread approximately ½ cup of the sauce on the bottom of the baking dish to lightly coat it. Begin filling the tortillas one at a time. I do this by placing one tortilla on a plate, then scooping out 1 cup of the filling mixture and putting it along the middle of the tortilla. Then, roll up the tortilla as tightly as you can (no need to fold in the edges) and put it in the baking dish, starting with one edge, and repeating this process until all 8 tortillas are packed tightly together in the pan.

Top the tortillas with the remaining sauce, spreading the sauce around to cover the tortillas as well as possible. Top with the pepper jack cheese.

Bake, uncovered, for 45 minutes, until the dish is bubbly and cheese is melted. Serve with a dollop of sour cream, if you’d like.

If you made this recipe ahead of time and had it in the fridge, take it out of the fridge while the oven is preheating and cook for approximately 50 minutes.

Hearty Vegetable Bean Soup

It was a rainy day on Sunday in the Bay Area, which made it a perfect day for soup. I decided to try using dried beans, which turned out to be much easier than I expected. You can find much more variety in dried beans than canned, and they have this wonderful sort of al dente bite to them when cooked, versus canned beans which can be a little mushy. Having said this, I have shown how to modify the recipe below if you are in a rush and want to use canned. All it took to use the dried beans was to throw them in a pot with some water in the morning and let them sit until I made the soup that evening. Then, you just simmer the soup for longer than you would with canned beans, which is usually fine with me on Sunday evening as I'm usually at home preparing for work for the week. Another great thing about this soup is that it makes a big pot and tastes arguably even better over the next few days as leftovers.

Hearty Vegetable Bean Soup
Serves 6-8

16 oz. flageolet beans or other dried bean of your choice
(alternatively use two 15 oz. cans cannellini beans)
Extra virgin olive oil
1 yellow onion, thinly sliced
2-3 leeks, white and light green parts, thinly sliced
2 cloves garlic, minced
3-4 carrots, cut into 1/2'' pieces
28 oz. can San Marzano plum tomatoes
4 c. low-sodium vegetable broth
1 small bunch or about 10 springs fresh thyme
(really try to use fresh thyme - it's important to the flavor of the soup)
2 bay leaves
2 t. kosher salt
1 t. pepper
1 bunch kale or swiss chard (I used lacinato kale)

If using dried beans, soak for at least 4 hours or overnight (I just soaked them starting in the late morning and cooked the soup the same evening). When ready to make the soup, drain and rinse the beans.

In a large dutch oven or pot, heat 1 T. olive oil over medium heat. Add the onion, leeks, garlic, and a pinch of salt. Saute until tender but not browned, about 5 minutes.

Add the carrots and the can of tomatoes (plus their juices) and stir to combine. Add the dried beans or canned if using. Add the vegetable stock and the whole thyme sprigs and bay leaves (the thyme leaves will just dissolve off of the branches as the soup cooks). Add 1 t. kosher salt and 1/2 t. of the pepper. Bring the soup to a low boil, then cover and simmer for 2 hours if using dried beans or 30 minutes to 1 hour if using canned beans, stirring occasionally (the more time the better!).  About 30 minutes before the soup is done (1 1/2 hours into the simmering process for dried beans, anywhere from right away to 30 minutes later for canned beans, depending on how long you're planning to simmer it), add the kale or swiss chard and stir well into the soup to combine. Recover and simmer for the remaining time. Taste for seasoning - I found that since I used low-sodium broth and it was a large pot of soup, I needed an additional 1 t. kosher salt and 1/2 t. pepper.

We liked this soup on its own but it was especially delicious with some grated or shaved parmesan cheese on the top!