2 fibre-rich soup recipes: black bean and lentil

Why stick with fibre bars to get your fibre fix? These delicious soups are full of flavour and taste just like they do in the restaurants. Homemade soups can feed a crowd for practically pennies.

Southwestern flavour fills every bowl of this stick-to-your-ribs favourite. Black beans are loaded with fibre, are a good source of iron, and contain lots of B vitamins. There is no canned or dried equivalent of black bean soup.

Makes 8 servings

• 500 g (1 lb) dried black beans, sorted and rinsed
• Water, as needed to cover
• 8 thick slices bacon
• 2 large yellow onions, chopped
• 2 celery stalks, chopped
• 2 medium carrots, chopped
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 2 bay leaves
• 5 ml (1 tsp) dried thyme, crumbled
• 2 L (8 c) water
• 2 ml (1/2 tsp) hot red pepper sauce
• 50 g (1/4 c) chopped fresh cilantro
• 30 ml (2 tbsp) lemon juice
• Sour cream or plain yogurt (optional)
• 8 fresh cilantro sprigs (optional)1. Place the black beans in a five litre (five quart), heavy saucepan or Dutch oven; add enough cold water to cover the beans. Over high heat, bring the mixture to a boil; cook two minutes. Remove the saucepan from the heat, cover, and let the beans stand for one hour. Drain the beans and discard the cooking liquid; set aside the beans.

  2. Using sharp kitchen shears, stack the bacon slices and cut them crosswise into 1.25-centimetres (1/2-inch) strips. (Place the bacon in the freezer for half an hour before cutting.) Return the saucepan to moderately high heat and add the bacon strips. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the bacon is crisp, five to eight minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the bacon to paper towels to drain.

  3. In the bacon drippings in the saucepan over moderate heat, sauté the onions, celery, carrots, garlic, bay leaves, and thyme, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are tender, eight to 10 minutes.

  4. Add the water and reserved beans, and return to a boil; reduce the heat to moderately low, cover the saucepan, and simmer 45 minutes. Remove and discard the bay leaves.

  5. In the bowl of a food processor or blender, place 250 grams (one cup) of the black bean mixture and whirl until it is a smooth puree. Pour the bean puree back into the saucepan, add the reserved bacon, hot red pepper sauce, cilantro, and lemon juice, and stir until all the ingredients are well blended.

  6. Ladle the soup into individual soup bowls. If desired, garnish each serving with a dollop of sour cream or plain yogurt and a cilantro sprig.

Long a staple of both Indian and Middle Eastern cooking, lentils are an excellent source of fibre, protein, folate and iron. That's why lentil soup is so good for you. It tastes so good because you made it yourself — a low-cost one-dish dinner.

Makes 8 servings

• 250 g (1 c) dried lentils, sorted and rinsed
• 1.5 L (6 c) canned broth
• 15 ml (1 tbsp) vegetable oil
• 500 ml (2 c) chopped onion
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• 600 ml (2 1/2 c) chopped fresh tomatoes
• 250 g (1 c) sliced carrots
• 2 ml (1/2 tsp) dried thyme
• 1 ml (1/4 tsp) dried marjoram1. In a large saucepan over moderately high heat, combine the lentils and the stock, and bring the mixture to a boil. Reduce the heat to low and simmer 30 minutes.

  2. Meanwhile, in a large skillet over moderately high heat, heat the oil. Add the onions and garlic, and sauté until tender, about five minutes. Pour the onion mixture into the saucepan with the lentils.

  3. Add the tomatoes, carrots, thyme and marjoram to the lentil mixture. Cook the mixture until the lentils and vegetables are tender, about 30 minutes.

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