White Bean with Ham and Bacon Soup

I am finally posting my White Bean Soup!  I brought this to a co-worker yesterday, and it was a tad on the salty side.  I think by sitting the salt rendered out of the ham, so if you make this, I suggest you eat it up in a couple days.

White Bean with Ham and Bacon

• makes 4, 1.5 cup servings:  276 calories, 6.9 fat, 26 carbs, 6.9 fiber and 27 protein

Ingredients:

• 2 cans of drained white cannelli beans (mine totaled 2 cups when drained)
• 4 cups chicken broth
• 2 cups water
• 1 ham bone (my ham bone was leftover from last Easter but you can buy ham hocks at the butcher – if using ham hocks, use 2 or 3 depending on size)
• 2 carrots, diced
• 2 celery stalks, diced
• 1/4 teaspoon dried thyme
• 4 slices of cooked bacon
• salt and pepper to taste

Put broth and water in a stock pot and add the ham hock or ham bone.  Simmer over medium low heat for about 30 minutes, or until the meat can be separated from the bone.  Strain out any bits of fat.  When the meat is cool enough to touch, pick of ham and add back to stock.   I got 1 cup of shredded ham.

Add in canned beans, thyme, salt, pepper, carrots and celery and simmer over medium heat for 15-20 minutes, just until the carrots are tender.  Serve each soup bowl with a slice of crumbled bacon.  The original recipe called for 3/4 cup of half and half and then puree the mixture.  I missed that step completely and am glad I did!

Can I just say I was so happy yesterday was a rest day?  Even though it was a nice day outside, I feel great today.  A little achy, but not too bad.

I ended up having another piece of the Paleo breakfast casserole for breakfast, with honeydew and cantaloupe and 1/2 an ounce of my bread – I need to make more bread! 

I went to Target at lunch to run a couple errands.  Lunch is a repeat from the day before, although I did tone done the jalapenos and diced half the amount into the chili.

When I was cleaning out my freezers last weekend, I discovered I had one small beef shank and two pieces of beef stroganoff meat.  It really wasn’t enough for a meal, so  I decided to use them in a pasta sauce.

There is no real recipe to this – I emptied a 28 ounce can of plum tomatoes, 4 cloves of garlic, salt, pepper and Italian seasoning to my stock pot.  Used my stick blender to puree, then put the frozen meat right into the sauce and put a lid on, left it on medium low and let it cook for 2 hours.  I checked it about every half hour to make sure it wasn’t burning.  Then I took it out and when it was cool enough to touch, I picked off the meat, chopped it up and added it to the sauce.

The dog loved the center bone by the way!

My dinner – 1 cup chopped baby spinach on the bottom, 3/4 cup cooked pasta and about half a cup of the sauce.  I threw on some diced red pepper for color, and after this pic was taken, added some crushed red pepper just to kick it up a notch.

Tony asked for garlic bread, but I am all out of good bread, so I improvised and made garlic bread out of pita bread.  Um, let’s just say Tony (or me!) was a big fan of it – I ended up giving mine to the dog!

I do have a confession.  I had 1 serving of tortilla chips for dipping into my chili.  However, the new bag was in my desk and I found myself eating two servings before I stopped myself.  I was upset that I was slipping back into the mindless eating again but before I kicked myself too hard, I was like “it was 140 calories – get over it!”

I also had my first glass of wine of the week.  My measured six ounce pour was 145 calories.  Tony and I enjoyed a glass while watching a cooking show that my MIL turned us on to – David Rocco’s Dolce Vita.  He’s a Canadian Chef that makes Italian food exclusively.  He is near the town of Florence where my FIL grew up – Tony would pause the show every once in a while to point out where his grandfather lived. I will get to Italy one day!  Have you ever been there?

So with my wine and tortilla chips, I am over my calorie intake for the day, but when I added it all together it wasn’t too bad! 

Stats for 4 days of 30 Bad Ass

• 1687 calories, 54 fat, 203 carbs, 15.7 fat, 66 protein
• 29% of calories were from fat
• rest day

I do find it interesting on the day I didn’t work out I ate more – I am typically hungry on the days I work out! 

I have a new food blog I love that is just too fricken cute not to share:  The Vegan Stoner.   Check out these super cute rainbow fruit skewers she made!  I think I am going to make these for my bosses breakfast birthday.

Off to do my 30 minute Classical Stretch.  I think I’ll need to put leg warmers on though so I can fit into the background music!

Make it a great day!