15 Bean Soup

Hearty and filling ... what more could anyone want on a cold winter's night? This soup is a hearty and healthy way to use leftover ham from holiday meals. It is a meal on its own and can be a vegetarian dish when the ham is left out and the beef broth is replaced with vegetable broth or just plain water. (It's gluten-free too when using a GF broth or water).

15 Bean Soup
(Makes approximately 12 servings.)

• 1 (1 pound) bag of dried 15 bean mix
• Water
• 32-ounce carton low-salt beef or vegetable broth
• 1 pound ham hock, cubed
• 1 small onion, chopped
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 2 celery stalks, chopped
• 2 carrots, peeled and chopped
• 1 can (14 to 15 ounce) diced tomatoes
• 1 teaspoon chili powder, or to taste
• Juice of 1 lemon
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

15 Bean Soup

Rinse the beans and place in a large pot. Cover with 2 quarts of water and let the beans soak overnight, or at least 8 hours. Drain beans and rinse pot.

Return beans to the pot and add 1 quart of water and the broth. Add the ham and bring to a boil; stir and reduce to a simmer. Simmer uncovered for 2 1/2 hours. (Add more liquid along the way if needed.)

Add the onion, garlic, celery, carrots, tomatoes, chili powder and lemon juice to the pot. Stir and return to a boil, reduce heat and simmer for another 30 minutes. Add parsley and salt and pepper to taste.