Mexican White Bean Soup

I am excited to have Dina-Marie from the Cultured Palate blog guest posting today. This recipe is certainly one that is delicious and that my family would enjoy.  Dina-Marie is mom of 10 children, 7 of whom are still at home. Moving to West Texas to begin a vineyard has brought many changes among them being a return to health through the GAPS diet, learning about “real” food and becoming a chapter leader for the Weston A. Price Foundation. Dina-Marie began Cultured Palate because of her passion to spread the healing potential of real traditional food and to encourage others with a nutrient dense diet and simple family life.

I am so glad to be with all you Homemade Mommy readers and share a recipe I know you will love. With the cold of winter upon us, there is nothing more comforting and filling than a hot bowl of soup! Mexican White Bean Soup is no exception and, if you are on the GAPS diet, it is GAPS legal! Before I go any further, let me introduce myself.

I am Dina-Marie, author of Cultured Palate blog, mom of 10 children (only 7 are still at home) and wife to my husband of almost 28 years – and yes, after all those years and children, I still love him! I suffered from rheumatoid arthritis and meat allergies for over 30 years until, I was introduced to the GAPS diet. The results have been phenomenal – I am a new woman! Plus, I am also successfully reversing my osteoporosis. So, hopefully you can understand my passion to spread the word about traditional real food.

With our large family, budget friendly meals are essential. That is one reason I love recipes which include dried beans. To make beans even more economical, I buy them in bulk – they keep for long time. Some say that stored in 5 gallon air tight buckets and using oxygen absorbers, they can last for 30 years! I have not saved dried beans for that length of time but I do keep them for months in buckets stored in my pantry.

Not only are dried beans economical, they are a power house of nutrition. The amount of nutrients per calorie of beans is higher than many other foods. They are packed with protein, complex carbohydrates, vitamins and minerals, not to mention fiber. Like all grains, legumes do contain phytic acid (an anti-nutrient) which should be neutralized in order for you body to absorb the most nutrients possible from your food. This is done most easily by soaking before cooking with a couple of tablespoons of lemon juice, whey or even vinegar. See Grain Preparation for further information.

So, now that we have established how economical and good for you dried beans are, let’s get on with the recipe!

Mexican White Bean Soup

Serves 6

Ingredients

• 2 cups dried white beans (where to buy legumes)
• 2 Tbsp lemon juice
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 3 carrots, sliced
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 3 Tbsp olive oil
• 2 1/2 tsp cumin
• 1/2 tsp salt (where to buy real salt)
• 2 cups broth, beef or chicken (how to make homemade broth) (where to buy quality broth)
• 1 can chopped green chilies
• sour cream
• cayenne pepper (optional)

Preparation

• Cover the beans with water, add lemon juice and soak for 12 hours or overnight.
• Drain the beans. Cover with fresh water. Bring to a boil. Cook until tender.
• While the beans are cooking, in another pot, saute the onions, carrots and garlic in olive oil until tender.
• When veggies are tender, add cumin and salt – stir thoroughly.
• Add broth, green chilies and cooked white beans. You may add more broth or water to achieve the desired consistency.
• Bring to a boil and simmer for 5 – 10 minutes.
• Serve topped with sour cream and a dash of cayenne pepper if desired.

Enjoy!