Known in Greece as fassoulada, this hearty, thick soup is a popular dish there. Navy beans, onion, tomatoes and garlic make up the basis of the soup.

Helpful Hint:

— You can find minced garlic in the produce section of the market.

Countdown:

— Prepare ingredients.

— Make soup.

Shopping List:

1 package frozen chopped onion, 1 can no-salt-added whole no-sugar-added tomatoes**, 1 can navy or Great Northern beans, 1 bottle dried thyme, 1 container dry roasted, no-salt-added pistachios nuts, 1 loaf whole grain bread 1 container reduced-fat crumbled feta cheese, 1 bag washed, ready-to-eat spinach, 1 large zucchini and 1 bunch celery.

Staples: olive oil, minced garlic, fat-free low-sodium vegetable broth*, salt and black peppercorns.

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GREEK BEAN AND VEGETABLE SOUP (FASSOULADA)

Recipe by Linda Gassenheimer

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 cup frozen chopped onion

2 cups sliced zucchini

1/2 cup sliced celery

1 teaspoon minced garlic

1 cup fat-free low-sodium vegetable broth*

1 cup water

3/4 cup no-salt-added rinsed and drained navy or Great Northern beans

1 cup drained canned low-sodium, no-sugar-added whole tomatoes**

4 cups washed, ready-to-eat spinach

1/2 teaspoon dried thyme

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

1 ounce crumbled reduced-fat feta cheese (about 3 tablespoons)

2 tablespoons coarsely chopped dry roasted, no-salt-added pistachio nuts

2 slices whole grain bread

Heat oil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add onion, zucchini, celery and garlic. Cook 2 to 3 minutes until vegetables soften. Add chicken broth, water, beans and tomatoes. Break up the tomatoes with the edge of a cooking spoon. Bring soup to a simmer and cook 5 minutes. Add the spinach and thyme. Cook until the spinach is wilted, about 1 minute. Add salt and pepper to taste. Ladle in two bowls and sprinkle feta cheese and pistachio nuts on top. Serve bread on the side. Makes 2 servings.

Per serving: 420 calories, 140 calories from fat, 15 g fat, 3.1 g saturated fat, 7.4 g monounsaturated fat, 5 mg cholesterol, 20 g protein, 57 g carbohydrates, 14 g dietary fiber, 13 g sugars, 470 mg sodium, 1260 mg potassium, 270 mg phosphorus.

Exchanges: 2 starch, 5 vegetable, 1 lean protein, 2 fat.

Shop Smart:

* low-sodium vegetable broth, containing per cup: 20 calories, 0 g fat, 240 mg sodium

** canned low-sodium, no-sugar-added whole tomatoes, containing per cup: 41 calories, .3 g fat, .04 g saturated fat, 24 mg sodium

(From “Delicious One-Pot Dishes” by Linda Gassenheimer, published by the American Diabetes Association. Reprinted with permission from The American Diabetes Association. Gassenheimer’s latest book is “Simply Smoothies: Fresh & Fast Diabetes-Friendly Snacks & Complete Meals,” published by the American Diabetes Association. To order either book call 1-800-232-6733 or at www.shopdiabetes.org.)

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