After The Indulgences

Well, how did you do over Thanksgiving?  Did you keep your eating down to a reasonable amount?  Did you exercise any?  I was pretty successful on both counts and I must say I felt really good about not being bloated on Thanksgiving night.  I'm learning to eat enough to make me happy, not sick.  Believe it or not, I sometimes have found that to be a problem.  We had a great time with friends and family and that is what matters most.

I made a really good pot of bean soup last week before Thanksgiving and I'm going to share the recipe.  It's hearty and filling, just right for the snowy weather we experiencing.  Plus, you need all that wonderful fiber to counter the sugary calories you consumed recently.

Lisa's Bean Soup
2 1/2 cups Navy or Great Northern beans, rinsed and picked over
1/2 lb. ham, Petite Jean if you can get it, cut into 1 inch chunks
1 to 2 cups diced carrots
2 stalks celery, sliced
1 onion, diced
1 bay leaf
2 tsp. salt
2 tsp. chili powder
1 tsp. thyme
Place beans in a slow cooker and add water until the beans are well covered.  Add bay leaf, cover and cook on low for 1 1/2 hours.  Give beans a stir and add ham, carrots, celery and onion.  Cover and cook another hour.  By this time, the beans and vegetables should be getting soft.  Add remaining seasonings and adjust to taste.  If you want a thicker soup, you may need to spoon off some broth, mine was a bit too soupy.

 My Daddy would have been proud!

Make a nice pan of cornbread to go with the soup, or at least serve a nice crusty bread like sourdough.  This soup should please everyone; it's tasty, warm, filling and inexpensive.  You can cut back on the ingredients easily to make less, or add more to make enough for a crowd.