Winter 15 Bean Soup

Get the winter chill out of your bones with a bowl of satisfying soup and some crusty buttered bread.  This 15 bean soup recipe is perfect for winter meals, when you're stuck inside a bit more and have time for soup to be simmering in the background.  It may seem labor intensive, but it mostly time spent hands off.  The big pot lasts for a few meals, and it is so healthy and full of flavor!

You'll need:

1 bag 15 bean soup
1 box beef broth
3 cups cooked ham, cut into cubes
1 large yellow onion, chopped
1 head of garlic, peeled and roughly chopped
2 carrots, peeled and shredded
1 bunch kale, chopped in ribbons
1 can roasted crushed tomatoes
1 can tomato paste
3 Tablespoons stone-ground (or Dijon) mustard
4 Tablespoons brown sugar
water
salt and pepper to taste

1. Soak beans overnight according to package directions.
2. Drain beans, add broth, salt and pepper, and bring to a boil.  Reduce heat to a simmer and cook for about 45 minutes.
3. In the meanwhile, prepare veggies.
4. Add in veggies, ham, tomatoes, tomato paste, mustard and sugar.
5. Let the soup simmer for about 2 more hours at least, or until the beans are nice and tender.

This soup makes great leftovers and is even better the next day!