Kidney Bean Soup

Kidney Bean Soup
Serve with crusty French or sourdough bread.

Serves 4

• 1 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 cup chopped onion
• 1 large carrot, cut into small dice
• 5 large garlic cloves, peeled, flattened
• 3 cups escarole, cut in one inch pieces
• 4 cups (or more) canned fat-free chicken broth
• 2 - 15 ounce ounce cans cannellini (white kidney beans), rinsed, drained
• 1 - 15 ounce can diced tomatoes, drained
• 1/2 cup acini di pepe pasta
• 2 tablespoons freshly grated Parmesan cheese

Heat oil in heavy large Dutch over medium-low heat. Add onion, carrot and garlic and sauté until onion is golden and tender, about 7 minutes. Discard garlic. Add escarole; stir 3 minutes. Add 4 cups broth, beans and tomatoes and bring to boil. Reduce heat to medium-low. Cover and simmer until escarole is tender and flavors blend, about 20 minutes. Add pasta 10 minutes minutes after it begins to simmer. Thin with more broth, if desired. Season soup to taste with salt and pepper.

Ladle soup into bowls. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese and serve.

Per Serving: 393 Calories; 5g Fat (12.1% calories from fat); 1g Saturated Fat; 28g Protein; 61g Carbohydrate; 20g Dietary Fiber; 2mg Cholesterol; 600mg Sodium. Exchanges: 3 Grain(Starch); 2 Lean Meat; 2 1/2 Vegetable; 1 Fat.