Tuscan Ham & Bean Soup

We had a bunch of leftover ham from Christmas and I put all of it in the freezer to use up over the next few months for hearty soups/stews and maybe a breakfast or two. This was a perfectly comforting soup to go along with the cold weather we are experiencing. I really love the combination of beans, meat & kale in a winter soup/stew... it just tastes so good. And... to top it all off it was a slow cooker meal - without any prep other than chopping. I just threw everything in and it was definitely a great meal that I will make again. If you have any homemade stock on hand it will make the soup even more flavorful, if not just use stock in a box like I did. I always buy low sodium stocks at the supermarket so that I can control how much salt goes into a dish. Remember - you can always add salt but you can't take it out!

Tuscan Ham & Bean Soup
Serve 4-6

Tuscan Ham & Bean Soup

ingredients

• 2 (14.5 oz) cans organic diced tomatoes

• 2 large cloves garlic, minced

• 1 Tbsp dried Italian season crushed between your fingers

• 3 stalks celery, sliced thinly
• 4 medium carrots, chopped
• 1 medium white onion, chopped

• 3 (15 oz) cans cannellini beans, drained & rinsed

• 3 cup cooked ham, cubed

• 1/4 tsp black pepper

• 3 1/2 cups low sodium chicken broth

• 8 cups torn kale (or you can use spinach)

• Parmesan cheese for serving

directions

In a slow cooker, combine all ingredients except Kale & cheese. Stir together and cook on low heat for 7-8 hours. During the last 30 minutes of cooking add the torn kale, stir and cook for 30 minutes.

When serving sprinkle some Parmesan cheese on top and serve with crusty bread for mopping - delish!

Enjoy!

This recipe was adapted from BHG Biggest Book of Soups & Stews