Primo's Vegan White Bean Soup

I have been a very animal friendly guy ever since I can remember. As a child I had very strong connections with animals, and have always struggled with a carnivorous lifestyle. About six months ago I made the decision to switch to a Vegan lifestyle. Not an easy trick for an Italian guy who grew up eating pasta and meat sauce, veal, sausage, and lots of cheese. I had to completely restructure my diet, and my eating and shopping habits.

I'm also a pretty simple guy. I don't like to have to make a big fuss over something to eat. While I do enjoy cooking for others, when I'm just feeding myself, it doen't need to be fancy. I like soups and stews because they stick to my ribs, I can accomodate my vegan requirements, and I can make enough to last me for days.

My mom had served me a spelt/white bean stew when I had visited her recently, and I was inspired to create a white bean soup for myself. I figured out what I wanted in it; made contact with a chef in the family to make sure I was handling some of the trickier parts correctly, and was using ingredients that were going to compliment one another, and then I just went for it.

I'm not a chef, I've never had any professional training, so anyone in similar shoes can relax. If I can throw this together, so can you...and it's delish!!

Primo's White Bean Soup*

4 15oz cans of white beans (drained)

2 15oz cans of Canelli beans (drained)

I carrot chopped

1 good sized shallot chopped

3-5 cloves of garlic chopped

1 -2 large leafs of Kale – cut into ¾ inch horizontal slices

10oz diced tomato

Salt

Black pepper

Oregano

Basil

Olive oil

Vegetable Stock

*I use all organic ingredients, and locally grown, fresh veggies...makes all the diff!!

I put 2 cans and of white beans and one can of Canelli’s into a food processor and whip it into a paste, adding a little vegetable stock so that it’s smooth and doesn’t get too mucky.

Next, I sweat the carrots, garlic and shallots all together in the olive oil and a dash of salt to get the veggies to kick off. I add basil, oregano, to taste.

When the carrots/garlic/shallots are ready, everything goes into a soup pot. The bean paste, the veggies, and then the whole beans in the other three cans.

Add Veggie stock to consistency desired. Simmer 20-30 mins.

Add sliced Kale and diced Tomato about 15 minutes before you’re done.

Then you can add the Paprika garnish if presentation is important!

 Buon Apetito!