13 bean soup with greens

I am always fascinated with the recipes that are healthy and simple to make. Some things are better to be simple. I always try to keep it simple, but many times have ended up making it complicated. And, its quite a challenge to keep things simple, especially with recipes. I start with one simple dish in the kitchen, but then during the process of cooking, I change my mind to add more items to the menu. May be perhaps I get indulged in the process or sometimes an item in my fridge or pantry may draw my attention and whips me up, and I end up cooking additional items. But fortunately the end results have been good so far and it always looks good to have a variety on the table!

Here is my entry for Raaga who is hosting Monthly Blog Patrol this month with a theme of "Salads and Soups". This is my adaptation of a soup dish from Jai & Bee's Jugalbandi site. They post a lot of healthy recipes and this recipe is a perfect one-pot meal. Nothing can be so healthier than this. Its a combination of a variety of lentils, beans, veggies and spinach. You can find the Original Recipe at their site. But I have substituted and omitted a couple of them according to my taste and to what was in my pantry and refregirator. It came out delicious and we enjoyed it thoroughly. A bowl of this soup with some delicious bread rolls for the side makes up a filly dinner. If you love soups, this is a wonderful excuse for indulging into that passion.

Ingredients:

• 13-bean soup mix - 1/2 cup
• Mixed vegetables - 1/2 cup
• Potato - 1 medium
• Chopped Spinach - 1/2 cup
• Tomato - 1 medium
• Onion - 1 medium
• Ginger/Garlic Paste - 1 tsp
• G.Chillies - 2
• Black Pepper-corns - 1/2 tsp
• Cumin Seeds - 1 tsp
• Lemon juice - 2 tsps
• Corriander leaves - a handful (chopped)

Procedure:

• Soak the 13-bean soup mix for a few hours and pressure cook them along with chopped tomatoes, water, salt and diced potatoes.
• Dry roast the pepper corns and cumin seeds and make them to a powder using blender.
• When the beans are cooked, mash a portion of it and mix together well with the remaining beans.
• Cook the mixed vegetables in microwave with a pinch of salt and set aside.
• Heat a tsp oil in a pan, fry the sliced onions along with ginger and garlic paste until brown. Also add the fresh corriander leaves and fry for a few seconds.
• Add this to the bean mixture along with the cooked mixed vegetables, chopped spinach and minced g.chillies. Cover and cook for 5 mins.
• Add the pepper/cumin powder and boil for 2 more mins.
• Finally add lemon juice and remove from heat.

Serve with toasted Bread rolls or bread slices.