White Bean Soup With Bacon

Ingredients

1 1/2 cups dried navy beans
5 bacon rashers chopped

3 ribs celery chopped

2 medium onions chopped
2 medium carrots shredded
4 garlic cloves, minced
2 litre fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth

3 tablespoons lemon juice

2 tablespoons honey
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme

Instructions:

1. Sort and wash beans; place in a large stock pot. Cover with water to 2 inches above beans; bring to a boil, and cook 2 minutes. Remove from heat; cover and let stand 1 hour. Drain beans and put aside in another container.

2. In stock pot add the bacon and 1/2  cup water. Cook over medium heat,  water will boil off and the bacon will start to brown. At this time add the vegetables sauté until onions are translucent. Stir in the broth, scraping the bottom of the pot to loosen browned bits. Add thyme and beans. Bring to a boil; cover, reduce heat, and simmer 1 1/2 hour or until beans are tender.

3. With a potato masher or emersion blender mash up some of the Beans to help thicken up the soup. Add the lemon juice and honey and let soup simmer for another 20 minutes stirring frequently add some water to achieve desired consistency (the soup will thicken as it cools).

Serve Hot with side of GF toast, corn bread or warm tortilla.

Yield: 10 servings (serving size: 1 cup).