How to Make Rib-Sticking Vegetarian 17 Bean Soup

This hearty soup is thick enough to be considered a stew.

Fall and winter, with cooler temperatures and shorter days, call for warm comfort foods like delicious homemade bean soup. It's high in protein, fiber and iron and is just the thing for a cold evening.

Things You'll Need

• 4-qt crock pot or slow cooker
• 32 oz. vegetable broth
• 2 cups water
• 4 tbsp. olive oil
• 1 lb. of 17-bean and barley mix, picked over and rinsed
• 1/2 large onion, coarsely chopped
• 1 red bell pepper, chopped
• 2 carrots cut in 1/2" rounds
• 4 new potatoes, quartered
• 1 tbsp. minced garlic
• Black pepper to taste
• 3 medium-sized bay leaves
• Juice and rind of one tangerine
• 1/2 cup brown rice
• Salt to taste

Instructions

1. Add all ingredients except the rice and salt to your slow cooker.

2. Turn your slow cooker on high. Leave it till the mixture comes to a boil, then stir occasionally when cooking on high. To make sure your beans get thoroughly cooked, allow about 6 hours of cooking time with your cooker set on high, or 9 hours if set on low.

3. About 40 minutes before you intend to serve the soup, stir in the brown rice and salt to taste. Serves 8.

Tips & Warnings

• Hot buttermilk drop biscuits and a leafy green salad are wonderful accompaniments.

• If your grocery store doesn't have a 17-bean and barley soup mix, you can make your own. Use the following ingredients: baby lima beans, black turtle beans, black eyed peas, dark red kidney beans, garbanzo beans, great northern beans, green lentils, green split peas, large lima bans, light red kidney beans, navy beans, pink beans, pinto beans, red lentils, small red beans, small white beans, yellow split peas, and pearl barley.

• Remove bay leaves and tangerine rind before serving.