It feel so good to be cooking again! We have been home with Ava for almost six weeks and it has been quite the adjustment but we are slowly starting to get back to a somewhat normal routine! Finding time to do the things that I used to do before I had a baby has helped me tremendously in my postpartum journey. For example, I am cooking dinner a couple times a week again and that feels just like the old me. Doing things like this help me feel a little more like myself and a little less like a stressed-out freak! Lol!

I am by no means a food blogger nor am I trying to be one! However, I need to share this recipe because this soup has been on a continuous rotation in The Stout Household for almost a year. It is truly the best! I wasn’t sure what to name the soup because I usually just call it “my soup”. However Andrew has decided to name it the “Tuscan Bean Soup”… so lets just go with that.

The Tuscan Bean Soup.. I love this soup because I can pour myself a glass of wine, ask Alexa to play me some Jazz music, and throw this soup together in under 10 minutes. By the way, If you don’t try out this recipe, you need to at least try listening to Jazz music while you cook and have dinner. You will immediately be feeling fancy and transported to a relaxing evening!

I usually put a loaf of sourdough bread in the oven for a few minutes to pull the entire meal together. By the time Andrew is home from work our house smells divine and I feel like the most accomplished and fabulous person in the world! We always have leftovers so this is a great meal for your meal-prep if you do that! This dinner is so warm and comforting but also healthy because its loaded with fiber and protein (aka you can have your cake and eat it too!).

I have changed around this recipe a few times but I think I finally got the recipe just the way I like it! Let me know if you try it!

Here is the recipe: 

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 yellow onion diced
• 6-8 cloves garlic chopped in quarters
• 6 cups of chicken broth (I use low sodium)
• 15 ounces (420 g) can Italian stewed tomatoes
• 2 (15 ounce) cans white beans (cannellini beans), drained and rinsed
• 2 (15 ounce) cans pinto beans, drained and rinsed
• Seasonings: 1 tablespoon paprika; 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper; 2 tablespoons of Creole seasoning (the most important ingredient!)
• 4 tablespoons of Worcestershire Sauce
• 4 cups of fresh spinach 
• Parmesan cheese (for serving)
• 1 loaf of sourdough bread, optional (but not really)

1. In a large heat olive over medium high heat. Add onion, cook until onions are translucent and then add garlic and stir for 2-3 minutes. 
2. Add in the broth, tomatoes, seasonings, beans, and Worcestershire Sauce. 
3. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer for 10-15 minutes to combine all of the flavors together. Add water if needed.
   
4. When ready to eat, stir in spinach. Continue to simmer gently until the spinach has wilted, (about 2 minutes), then take off heat. 
5. Serve in bowls and top with parmesan cheese. Serve with warm bread. 🙂

All my love,

Alex