Green Bean and Almond Soup

This is a modification of a recipe from Chocolate and Zucchini blog. I used coconut oil rather than olive oil, and reduced the amount of almond meal to keep the fat content more manageable for me. The use of almond meal was new to me as a way to thicken a soup without a dairy product such as cream.  I was pleasantly surprised by the taste and texture.  The almond meal gave the soup a slightly nutty, earthy taste and a finely nubby texture that was pleasing. Definitely a strategy that adds Pzazz and I will apply to other soup creations.  

Royal Burgundy  Bush Bean

Celery, Carrots, Beans

The beans that Tom planted again this year are Royal Burgundy Bush Beans, and turn green when cooked. Their color as well as their placement in the raised garden bins makes picking easy!  

Tom planted orange, yellow, white and red carrots this year. He mixed all of them together in the row so when I pulled some for this recipe, I didn't know what I would get and there were 4 orange ones, and one red one.  Next time, I think I will hold out for the white ones because they won't discolor the green soup as much as the orange and red ones did.

Ingredients:
1 T. coconut oil
1 cup chopped onion
1 garlic clove, minced
1 1/2 cups peeled and sliced carrots
500 grams (a little over a pound) green beans, trimmed and cut into 1" pieces
4 cups vegetable broth
1/2 cup almond meal



Preparation:
Heat the oil in a medium heavy-bottomed soup pot. Add the onions, garlic, and carrots, and cook over medium heat, stirring every now and then, until softened and very lightly golden. In the meantime, trim the green beans and rinse them well. Add to the pot, season with salt and pepper, and cook for 5 minutes, stirring from time to time.
Pour in the stock or water, bring to a simmer, cover, and cook for 30 minutes, until all the vegetables are soft. In the meantime, pour the powdered almonds in a dry skillet. Set over medium-high heat and toast for about two minutes, stirring constantly and watching closely, until golden and fragrant. Set aside in a bowl to prevent overtoasting.

When the vegetables are soft, add the almond meal to the pot and stir well. Remove from heat and let cool slightly. Using an immersion blender or working in batches in a blender, purée the soup until completely smooth. Taste, adjust the seasoning, reheat over gentle heat if necessary, and serve.


Nutrition per serving:
Servings per recipe: 6
Serving Size: 1 cup
Calories: 132
Total Fat: 7 g
Cholesterol: 0 mg
Sodium: 210 mg
Total Carbs: 15 g
Dietary Fiber: 6 g
Protein: 4 g