Soup Beans - 37g Carbs, 12g Fiber

NUTRITION PROFILE: Low Calorie | High Fiber | Low Cholesterol | Low Sat Fat | High Potassium | Heart Healthy | Diabetes Appropriate | Healthy Weight

Like poor people everywhere, mountain people in the South thrived for centuries on food that was indigenous, inexpensive and healthful. These days "soup beans" speak instant comfort to anyone who had familial connections from Appalachia, where every garden produced shelling beans that could be eaten fresh or grown to maturity for dry beans. Serve this thick, stew-like soup with cornbread, pickle relish and diced sweet onion.
Servings: 8
Serving Size: 3/4 cup each
ACTIVE TIME: 20 minutes
TOTAL TIME: 2 hours 10 minutes
EASE OF PREPARATION: Easy
1 lb pinto, yellow-eyed or other dried beans, sorted and rinsed (2 1/2 cups)
12 cups water
8 oz finely diced ham (about 1 1/2 cups)
1 medium onion, peeled
1 clove garlic, peeled
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp freshly ground pepper
1/4 tsp crushed red pepper

1. Place beans, water, ham, onion, garlic, salt, pepper and crushed red pepper in a large Dutch oven; bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer, stirring occasionally, until the beans are very tender and beginning to burst, 1 1/2 to 2 hours. If necessary, add an additional 1/2 to 1 cup water while simmering to keep the beans just submergedin cooking liquid.
2. Remove from the heat; discard the onion and garlic. Transfer 2 cups of the beans to a medium bowl and coarsely mash with a fork or potato masher. Return the mashed beans to the pot; stir to combine.

Servings: 8
Serving Size: 3/4 cup each
Nutrition per Serving: 244 Calories, 2g Fat, 1g Sat, 1g Mono, 16mg Cholesterol, 19g Protein, 37g Carbs, 12g Fiber, 531mg Sodium, 702mg Potassium
Nutrition bonus: Folate (57% daily value), Potassium (20% dv), Iron (15% dv).
1 1/2 Carbohydrate Servings
Exchanges: 2 1/2 starch, 2 very lean meat
MAKE AHEAD TIP: Cover and refrigerate for up to 3 days or freeze for up to 3 months.