I've been really into making soups lately- they're quick, simple, and you really don't need more than a few veggies and some water to make a delicious soup. Plus, they warm your belly, you get a large yield, and they're super easy to reheat later! One of the bakeries I used to work at had four rotating soups each day, and one of my favorites was a Tuscan White Bean Soup. I've been trying to get Shawn and I to eat less meat lately, so I thought it would be fun to recreate one of my favorite veggie soups!

This one is great because you probably have most of the ingredients on hand already. (I always have carrots, celery, onion, and garlic in the fridge, and I stock up on beans when they're on sale.) To make it vegetarian, just swap the chicken broth for veggie broth - I just don't like store-bought veggie broth because it's often too carrot-heavy.

Tuscan White Bean Soup

recipe makes approximately 3 quarts

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 medium sweet onion, small dice
• 3 carrots, small dice
• 4 stalks celery, small dice
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 can diced tomatoes
• 2 cans great northern beans, drained and rinsed
• 1-1/2 quarts chicken broth
• 3 cups swiss chard or kale, chopped
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/8 teaspoon ground red pepper

In a large stock pot, heat the olive oil and add the onion, carrots, celery, and garlic, cooking until the vegetables have softened and the onion starts to appear translucent. Add the tomatoes, beans, and broth and bring the mixture to a boil. Once boiling, lower the heat and add the swiss chard and all the spices. Adjust spices to taste. Once the swiss chard has wilted, the soup is ready to eat! Top with grated parmesan cheese and serve with bread, if you'd like.

This soup keeps well for about a week when stored in an air-tight container in the refrigerator. Or, pour it into a large ziplock bag and freeze it flat for easy storage and quick defrosting.