Italian White Bean and Spinach Soup

Dried shiitake mushrooms lend this appetizer soup rich intensity. It's delightful with a grilled cheese sandwich for a light supper.

Yield: 6 servings (serving size: 1 cup)

Ingredients

• 1  (1-ounce) package dried shiitake mushrooms
• 2  cups  boiling water
• 2  teaspoons  olive oil
• 1  cup  chopped yellow onion
• 2  garlic cloves, minced
• 4  cups  chopped fresh spinach
• 1  teaspoon  chopped fresh rosemary
• 1  teaspoon  chopped fresh thyme
• 1/4  teaspoon  freshly ground black pepper
• 1  (16-ounce) can cannellini beans or other white beans, rinsed and drained
• 1  (14-ounce) can organic vegetable broth (such as Swanson Certified Organic)
• Fresh thyme (optional)
• Crushed red pepper (optional)

Preparation

Combine mushrooms and 2 cups boiling water in a bowl; cover and let stand 15 minutes. Drain mushrooms in a colander over a bowl, reserving liquid. Chop mushrooms; set aside.

Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add onion, garlic, and mushrooms to pan; sauté 5 minutes or until tender. Add the reserved mushroom liquid, spinach, and next 5 ingredients (through broth); bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer 10 minutes. Garnish with thyme and red pepper, if desired.

Nutritional Information

Calories:

78 (22% from fat)

Fat:

1.9g (sat 0.3g,mono 1.1g,poly 0.4g)

Protein:

2.8g

Carbohydrate:

13.5g

Fiber:

2.9g

Cholesterol:

0.0mg

Iron:

1.3mg

Sodium:

261mg

Calcium:

42mg

Alexandra Jamieson, Alexandra Jamieson, The Great American Detox Diet, Cooking Light, NOVEMBER 2007