Into the Woods Bean Soup

For this month's Cooking Light Virtual Supper Club we have an Oscar theme. Everything we're making for the meal must be tied to the movies in some way. I was assigned the soup course for the dinner.

We enjoyed the movie Into the Woods and it was nominated for Costume Design, Production Design, and Actress in a Supporting Role (the 18th nomination for Meryl Streep). The story combines a number of well-known fairy tales into one arching storyline about dreams and how they come true. Pivotal to the story is the story of Jack and the magic beans.

I decided to pay homage to this scene by making this bean soup.

When I have made bean soup in the past it is a full day affair with soaking the beans and a long, slow boil. This recipe makes use of canned beans and takes less than 30 minutes to pull together. I was shocked at how good it was.

(note - I realized after I had snapped this picture that I had forgotten the spinach!)

North Woods Bean Soup

Cooking spray
1 cup baby carrots, halved
1 cup chopped onion
2 garlic cloves, minced
7 ounces turkey kielbasa, halved lengthwise and cut into 1/2-inch pieces
4 cups fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth
1/2 teaspoon dried Italian seasoning
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
2 (15.8-ounce) cans Great Northern beans, drained and rinsed
1 (6-ounce) bag fresh baby spinach leaves

Heat a large saucepan coated with cooking spray over medium-high heat. Add carrots, onion, garlic, and kielbasa; sauté 3 minutes, stirring occasionally. Reduce heat to medium; cook 5 minutes. Add the broth, Italian seasoning, pepper, and beans. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer 5 minutes.

Place 2 cups of the soup in a food processor or blender, and process until smooth. Return the pureed mixture to pan. Simmer an additional 5 minutes. Remove soup from heat. Add the spinach, stirring until spinach wilts.

Comments

[sandi]

That soup looks like a Winner... (get it?)
I will be watching the Oscar's in my best apron.

[Karen (Back Road Journal)]

This sounds like a winning recipe, Jerry…perfect for our bitter cold days. I use canned beans in soups all the time as I can get a meal on the table quickly.

[JDeQ]

Karen -I'll be using canned beans more often for week night meals. I think I'll stick with the old fashioned way for a long weekend boil though.