Down South Ham and Bean Soup

By Tonya_Speed

NUTRITION per serving: 498 Calories; 10g Fat; 40g Protein; 64g Carbohydrate; 13g Dietary Fiber; 32mg Cholesterol; 1329mg Sodium. Exchanges: 3 Grain (Starch); 3 1/2 Lean Meat; 1 Vegetable; 1 Fat; 1/2 Other Carbohydrates. Points: 10

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 1/2 cups chopped onion
• 1 1/2 cups chopped celery
• 4 to 5 cloves garlic, pressed
• 3/4 pound ham OR turkey ham, cubed
• 3 tablespoons brown sugar
• 1 rounded teaspoon thyme
• 3 (16-oz.) cans white beans, drained and rinsed
• 6 cups low sodium chicken broth
• 1 (10-oz.) bag baby spinach

Preparation

Step 1

Heat the oil in a Dutch oven or soup pot over medium-high heat; add onion, celery, garlic, ham, brown sugar, thyme and 1 can of the drained and rinsed beans; cover and cook for about 8 minutes, or until veggies are soft. Mash the beans and veggies into a rough paste; add remaining beans and the broth. Cover and cook for 10 minutes, or until thickened. Remove from heat and stir in spinach. Serve.