What's Shakin'? Beany Bacon Soup

By Roni84

PER SERVING (1/8th of recipe, about 1 cup): 146 calories, 2.5g fat, 929mg sodium, 21g carbs, 6g fiber, 3.5g sugars, 10g protein

PointsPlus™ value 3*

This is like a big bowl of comfort. The beans, the bacon... Mmmmmmmmmm!!! (Sorry. We just really like this soup.)

Ingredients

• 6 slices center-cut bacon
• 2 cups chopped onion (about 1 large onion)
• 1 tsp. chopped garlic
• 4 cups reduced-sodium fat-free chicken broth
• Two 15-oz. cans cannellini (white kidney) beans, drained and rinsed
• 2 cups chopped carrots (about 3 carrots)
• 1 cup chopped celery (about 3 stalks)
• 1/4 tsp. ground thyme
• 1 bay leaf
• 4 cups roughly chopped spinach
• 2 tbsp. reduced-fat Parmesan-style grated topping

Preparation

Step 1

Spray the bottom of a large pot with nonstick spray and bring to medium heat on the stove. Add bacon and cook until crispy, about 4 minutes per side, working in batches if needed. Once cool enough to handle, break into pieces or roughly chop. Set aside.

Remove pot from heat. If needed, clean and dry. Re-spray with nonstick spray and bring to medium-high heat. Add onion and garlic and, stirring often, cook until fragrant, about 4 minutes.

Add all ingredients except spinach, Parm-style topping, and cooked bacon. Stir well and bring to a boil.

Reduce to a simmer and cook until veggies are tender, about 20 minutes. Remove pot from heat and allow to cool slightly.

Remove and discard bay leaf. Transfer 1/4th of the mixture (about 2 cups) to a blender. Blend until smooth, and then return to the pot.

Add spinach, Parm-style topping, and cooked bacon. Mix well. Set stove to medium heat and cook until spinach has wilted and soup is hot, about 5 minutes.

Serve it up!