Bean Vegetable (Vegan) Soup

Everyone who knows me, knows that I am the furthest thing from vegetarian, not to mention vegan. However, as the chef of a private children's school that focuses on extremely healthy vegetarian and vegan nutrition, I have quickly been exposed to some incredibly unique and creative recipes, and am very excited to add them to my repertoire. I made this Bean Vegetable Soup this past monday, and absolutely loved it. With the depth of flavor of the bean mix and the variety of vegetables, I actually did not miss the meat at all: words that I never imagined I would ever mutter! I served it with pita chips, but a rustic French bread would be perfect for dipping. Because the soup is so light in calories, the addition of a mixed green salad with Balsamic Vinaigrette (recipe follows) would be a great addition for a complete meal. If you are not vegan, a sprinkle of grated parmesan-reggiano before serving would be delicious!

I hope you enjoy this recipe. Please write a review about what you did or did not like about it, and what you did or would do to improve it. I always love some insightful advice! Also, if you would add animal protein, what would be your preference?

INGREDIENTS:
2 cups of a blend of dried beans (I love the three bean blend from my local health food grocery, but any blend of dry beans of your preference works wonderfully)
6 cups fat-free vegetable broth (of course, if you are not vegetarian or vegan you can always use chicken broth, which I find to have more flavor)
2 carrots, peeled and diced
1 can of green peas
1 large onion, finely diced
4 teaspoons garlic, finely minced
2 Tablespoons tomato paste
3 teaspoons Italian seasoning*
Generous grinding of black pepper
1 teaspoon salt (I prefer Kosher salt)
1 large zucchini, diced
1-32 ounce can of whole stewed tomoatoes, pulsed quickly in your Cuisinart or blender

*Italian seasoning is generally a blend of: dried basil, dried oregano, dried parsley, garlic powder, onion powder, dried thyme, dried rosemary, black pepper and red pepper flakes

PREPARATION:
Boil the dry beans according to specific directions on the package or until they are cooked completely through. Drain and set aside. Peel and dice the carrots into a similar size of the peas. Boil until tender, drain. Chop the onion until finely diced; if your Cuisinart is handy, opt to use that to make sure that the onions are minced quite fine.
In a large pot combine the vegetable broth, cooked beans, carrots, peas, tomato paste, stewed tomatoes, Italian seasoning, garlic, diced zucchini, salt and pepper. Heat to medium and simmer for approximately 15 to 20 minutes, or until the soup reaches desired temperature and texture.

Serves: 4 generous portions

NUTRITIONAL INFORMATION: (per serving)
180 calories
Trace fat
8 grams of protein
34 grams of carbohydrates
0 milligrams cholesterol
900 grams of sodium (can be significantly reduced by using low-sodium broth, and omiting the salt)
10 grams fiber
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BALSAMIC VINAIGRETTE

INGREDIENTS:
1 small garlic clove , minced (about 1 teaspoon or to taste)
1 teaspoon salt
3 teaspoons Dijon mustard
3-4 teaspoons honey
(if you would like to maintain a vegan diet, substitute agave syrup in lieu of the honey)
6 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
1/2 cup olive oil , plus 2 tablespoons olive oil
Ground black pepper

PREPARATION: 
In a bowl whisk together garlic, salt, Dijon, honey and balsamic vinegar. Add in olive oil in a slow steady stream until emulsified. Season with more salt if needed and black pepper. Chill for a minimum of 2 hours before serving.

Yields: 3/4 cup