Some of my viewers are looking for simple. Some of my fans want cheap. Others just want a heart warming bowl of pipping hot soup that tastes good, and will stick to their ribs! Done. My results produced an African Bean Stew, but no matter how you spice it, it's bound to be exactly what you were looking for.
What I had on hand:
2 cloves of garlic, pressed
1/2 of a large onion, diced
2 quarts of water
1 big carrot, diced
1 big potato, diced
1/2 bag of frozen corn kernels
1 bag of 16 bean soup mix, rinsed
What I did:
Step 1
Put everything into your crock pot, turn it on low, and leave it for 6-10 hours.
Step 2
Give it a good mix, turn off heat.
Step 3
Season it how ever you like it! Experiment! Have fun!
How do you do this without risking the entire pot of soup to a combination that might not work out to your liking? Spoon a 1/4 cup into a small dish and add some spice. Mix it up, add some salt, sample it. Is it good? Does it need more salt? Pepper? Depth? Zing? Seasoning? Try lemon pepper or zest, cumin, indian spices, chili, greek, or cajun seasoning. Dish out several flavor combinations before deciding on the one that you love best, then go hog wild on the entire pot, and you'll know it'll be delicious!
In this situation, I added several tsp. of sea salt, a package of African Piri Piri seasoning from Cuisine Mentor, and a tsp of Ghirardelli unsweetened cocoa, for depth and smokiness. It was absolutely outstanding, made 10 servings, freezes well and the entire experiment cost me less than $5, which means each serving only ends up costing 50 cents! High in fiber, protein, complex carbohydrates and phytochemicals, and low in fat, this mix has a plethora of health benefits.
For more information on the health benefits of a 16 bean soup, follow this link:
http://www.livestrong.com/article/289498-16-bean-soup-calories/
For more information on the health benefits of a 16 bean soup, follow this link:
http://www.livestrong.com/article/289498-16-bean-soup-calories/
