Bean + Veggie Soup...

From here on its going to be porridge laced with cinnamon, flaxseeds and walnuts with a dash of milk that will accompany my green juice in the mornings.  Lunch and dinners will become hot meals full of flavour and substance and that's the reason why I'm sharing this with you.

The change of the season's climate gradually sneaks upon us.  Sure, we've had intermittent rain during the year thus far, but it's the chilly mornings and extra layers that are now being warn day and night, and the sinking of daylight that now sees me leaving the desk as the dark of the evening has set in, that says winter is here.

I cooked a fresh homemade soup last night and sitting outside today with the sun on my back warming my bones, I registered it was the first day of winter and we'll be eating more of this. To this delicious soup you can add more veggies if you please, use pasta instead of beans, but whatever you do make it fresh and make it wholesome....

Method:
Cover beans in water and soak for a day or overnight, changing the water once or twice or adding more water, when convenient.
Heat some olive oil in a saucepan, add onions, carrots and about a minute or so add celery.  Stir it all around so it all coated in oil, not soaking in it! Let it cook away for a couple of more minutes, just for all to look and feel combined.
In between stirring and mixing it up, add garlic, rosemary, thyme and paprika.  Stir all together.  Then add the dice tomatoes.  Stir and mix together.
Add bay leaf, salt, pepper and cayenne pepper.
Put the lid on your saucepan, you may want to add some hot water, then let simmer away for minimum of 40 minutes.
Serve topped with parmesan cheese, as I have or use yogurt or your favourite garnish.
Soup without a bread in incomprehensible, so grab your favourite, mine Zeally Bay organic sourdough and spread with a nutritional food such as tahini, avocado, hummus or simply, traditional butter.

Ingredience:
a cup of white beans
2 small onions chopped into chucks
1 large carrot sliced
1 stick of celery - stalk and leaves
2 cloves of garlic, squashed and roughly chopped
Rosemary leaves of a twig or if putting the twig in, remove it later
Can of dice tomatoes
2 bay leafs
Pinch of salt, pepper and cayenne pepper
Bread and garnish

Serves:
You and a friend or two

Enjoy!

I always use fresh and/or organic where possible.
Also, a few links have been added to highlight the nutritional benefits of just some of the foods.

If you have a favourite recipe that would be fitting as "spa cuisine" we'd love to hear about it....