Lima Bean Soup with Ham Bits and Crisp Sage

Preparation

1. Step 1

   Put the beans in a Dutch oven. Cover with 2 inches of water (this is not the 4 cups water). Bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Boil for 2 minutes. Remove from the heat. Let stand, covered, for 1 hour. Drain in a colander. Return the beans to the pot.

   Step 2

   Stir in 4 cups water, the onion, ham, garlic, and bay leaves. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce the heat and simmer, covered, for 1 hour, stirring occasionally. Discard the bay leaves.

   Step 3

   Stir in the carrots and salt. Increase the heat to medium high and return to a simmer. Simmer, uncovered, for 20 minutes, or until the beans and carrots are tender.

   Step 4

   For a creamier texture, transfer about 2 cups soup to a medium bowl. Mash the soup with a potato masher. Stir the mashed soup into the soup in the pot. For a smoother soup, in a food processor or blender, process all the soup in batches (without mashing any beans first) until the desired consistency.

   Step 5

   Meanwhile, in a small nonstick skillet, heat the oil over medium heat, swirling to coat the bottom. Cook the sage for 1 to 2 minutes, or until crisp, stirring frequently. Transfer the sage to paper towels and drain. Crumble and set aside. Use to garnish the soup.

2. Cook’s Tip

   Step 6

   Most individuals need about 4,700 milligrams of potassium daily to help keep blood pressure levels at a healthy level. A serving of this soup provides almost one-fourth of that amount, primarily because of the lima beans.

3. Cook’s Tip on ham

   Step 7

   Like other processed meats, ham usually is extremely high in sodium. When you shop, be sure to read product labels and select ham with the lowest amounts of sodium, saturated fat, and cholesterol. It doesn’t take much ham to provide a lot of flavor; in this recipe, just over a tablespoon per serving does the job.

4. Nutrition Information

   Step 8

   (Per serving)

   Step 9

   Calories: 285

   Step 10

   Total fat: 2.0g

   Step 11

   Saturated: 0.5g

   Step 12

   Trans: 0.0g

   Step 13

   Polyunsaturated: 0.5g

   Step 14

   Monounsaturated: 1.0g

   Step 15

   Cholesterol: 5mg

   Step 16

   Sodium: 248mg

   Step 17

   Carbohydrates: 51g

   Step 18

   Fiber: 16g

   Step 19

   Sugars: 11g

   Step 20

   Protein: 17g

   Step 21

   Calcium: 91mg

   Step 22

   Potassium: 1,080mg

5. Dietary Exchanges

   Step 23

   3 starch

   Step 24

   1 vegetable

   Step 25

   1 very lean meat