I subscribe to an email update from The Real Food Channel, a very worthy site for anyone interested in good health and good food. The other day I received a link to a Vegsource presentation by Caldwell Esselstyn, MD on how to eliminate heart disease. His ideas are radical in the extreme as they fly in the face of everything we think we know about eating, cooking, living, dining out, and the fabric of American life. Think EVOO is a good thing? Rachael? Emeril? Are you listening? Think not! Watch the presentation here. As a result, I’ve bought and read his book and decided to make a pot of soup to celebrate!
Here is how it goes:
- You need a big pot. 16 quart is fine, 20 is better.
- There is absolutely no oil in this soup. Needless to say, no meat or dairy either.
Here are the ingredients:
- Two or three diced onions
- A handful of minced or diced garlic to taste
- A large bag of clean fresh spinich, enough to fill the pot
- A mix of any of these available greens: collards, mustard greens, kale (cut out any hard stems and reserve for stock pot) – about a half pot full
- Two or three cans of black beans. Or you can used dried beans but it takes a LOT longer to cook.
- Two or three cans of diced tomatoes.
- Spices – I’ve used an “Italian Spice” mix which includes primarily basil and oregano. For what will be about 6 to 8 quarts of soup, I used about two or three tablespoons. But this is up to you. Also, some fresh ground black pepper. And salt to taste. Careful with that.
- Add your favorite “heat”. I use Sambal Ulek regularly – enough to go through a gallon in a couple of months. Try it!
Here is what you do:
- Fill the pot with greens and cook on medium heat until they start to whilt down. Then add more until they are all whilted.
- Turn up the heat to medium-high for faster cooking. The pot should be at a low boil.
- Add garlic and onions
- Add beans and tomatoes. Do not drain beans first. Add the whole can.
- Add spices
- Season to taste
- Cook for a long time
- Taste frequently and adjust seasoning
- You may wish to add either more beans or tomatoes or veggies to suit your tastes
- If available, add fresh basil near the end of the cooking
- You may wish to add some (one or two tablespoons) sweetener: Use either agave syrup or cane sugar. I used the agave syrup.
The soup can be as soupy or stewy as you want. Add water or reduce as you see fit.
I served this with a side of fresh green salad mix and brown short grain rice. You could, and I did, put the rice in the soup upon serving. (Short grain rice is stickier than long grain – it makes a chewy texture.)
This meal is essentially zero points on the WW scale, cept for the rice. We had our fill for less than three points including the rice. It is so rich in nutrients that it is nearly off the charts, including protein.
This is also essentially what I started with to make stuffed bell peppers the other night which I ended up baking in a cast iron dutch oven for an hour. It is a different twist on nearly the same meal, but makes for a new presentation altogether.
Make lots. Put in meal sized containers for lunch and dinner. It should last a week at least in the frig. You can freeze it too.
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