It seems that the cool fall temperatures have officially blown in... I prepared this delightfully yummy soup over the weekend to take the chill off. I welcome the arrival of fall, along with its brilliant rustic colors as it is an invitation to pull out my slow cooker and begin filling the kitchen with the aroma of pumpkin soup, carrot pottage, hearty stews and chilis...

Today I'd like to share a recipe for Autumn Mixed Bean Soup - this version is adapted from Canadian Living "The Slow Cooker Collection".

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Autumn Mixed Bean Soup (579kb)

One cup of this hearty soup packs a powerhouse of nutrients including 10g of fibre (nearly ½ half a woman’s daily fibre target and 1/3rd of a man’s). To add a little garnish, top with a sprinkle of chopped parsley, 1 chopped kalamata olive and a few home-made garlic croutons (easy-breezy: 1 slice (30g) whole grain bread spread with 1 clove pressed garlic and ½ tsp butter, slice into cubes and place on a baking sheet in the oven, broil until golden).

Tip: you can add a punch of color with the addition of some greens, chiffonade (sliced thinnly) during the last 10 minutes of cooking and not earlier so they soften yet retain their rich green color (i.e. beet greens, kale or spinach would work great)

Autumn Mixed Bean Soup
Makes 10-12 cups soup; Slow Cooking Time 6-8 hours; Preparation: 15 minutes

Ingredients

• 2 Small onions, chopped
• 2 Cloves Garlic, pressed
• 1 Tbsp Minced ginger root (or 1 tsp ground dried ginger)
• 1 tsp Red Curry Paste (or 2-4 tsp mild curry paste if you prefer)
• 1 can (28oz/796ml) no-salt added canned tomatoes including liquid (i.e. Alymer’s, Hunts)
• 6 cups Low-sodium Vegetable or chicken broth (home-made or store bought i.e. President’s Choice Blue Menu Low Sodium Vegetable Broth)
• 2 cups assorted Dried Beans & lentils, (i.e. Bob’s Red Mill 13 Bean Soup Mix - navy, black, red, pinto, baby limas, large limas, garbanzo, red lentils, great northern, kidney beans, black-eyed peas, yellow splits, green splits, and lentils.) or 6 cups no-sodium added or low-sodium canned beans, rinsed*
• 1 tsp fresh lemon juice
• Pepper to taste

Directions

1. In a 4 ½ to 6 quart (4.5 to 6L) slow cooker combine onion, garlic, curry paste, ginger, tomatoes, broth and dried beans.

2. Cover and cook on low (8 hours) or on medium-high setting (5-6 hours). If using canned beans* add now, and cook on high for last 30 minutes until beans are hot. Add water if soup becomes too thick.

3. Before serving stir in coriander or fresh parsley (optional) and top with garnish.

Nutrition Facts per 1 cup serving: calories 250, total fat 4g, cholesterol 0mg, sodium 150 mg, carbohydrates 41g, fibre 10g, protein 14g