Mangia Mondays - Shaker Bean Soup

Monday's Recipe is Shaker Bean Soup. Dear Hubby has been making some lower calorie foods and this is one of our favorite new soups. So healthy and hearty compared to most low fat soups. It freezes well, so we make several batches.
Hope you enjoy!

Check out other great Monday posts here.

Shaker Bean Soup
Ingredients:
• 1 pound dried great northern beans
• 1/2 lb. smoked ham (cooked), bite size
• 8 strips turkey bacon (cooked/crumbled)
• 8 cups water
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 3 celery ribs, diced
• 2 medium carrots, shredded
• Salt to taste
• 1/2 teaspoon pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
• 1 can (28 ounces) crushed tomatoes in puree
• 1 tablespoon brown sugar
• 1-1/2 cups finely shredded fresh baby spinach

Directions
1. Sort and rinse beans (Hubby also soaks overnight in refrigerator)
2. Place in a Dutch oven; cover with water and bring to a boil.
3. Boil 2 minutes.
4. Remove from heat; let stand 1 hour.
5. Drain beans and discard liquid.
6. In the same pan, add the ham, cooked bacon, water and beans.
7. Bring to a boil.
8. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 1-1/2 hours or until meat easily falls from the bone.
9. Remove bone from broth; cool.
10. Trim meat from the bone. Discard bone.
11. Add the ham, onion, celery, carrots, salt, pepper and thyme to bean mixture.
12. Cover and simmer for 1 hour or until beans are tender.
13. Add tomatoes and brown sugar.
14. Cook for 10 minutes.
15. Just before serving, add spinach, stir in to wilt (about 5 minutes).
Nutrition Facts: 1 serving (1 cup) equals 179 calories, 2 g fat (1 g saturated fat), 6 mg cholesterol, 70 mg sodium, 20 g carbohydrate, 6 g fiber, 7 g protein.

We have two cups of it and have little guilt :)