Five Bean Soup

Ingredients

• 5 (16 oz. each) packages dried beans: lima, great northern, kidney, pinto and split peas (enough for four batches of soup)
• 3 beef bouillon cubes
• 3 tablespoons dried chives
• 1 teaspoon dried savory
• 1 teaspoon salt (optional)
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1 bay leaf
• 2 1/2 quarts water
• 1 (14.5 oz.) can stewed tomatoes

Directions

1. Combine beans; divide into four equal 1 pound batches or about 3 3/4 cups each.
2. To Make Batch of Soup: Wash one batch of beans. Place in a large kettle and add enough water to cover bean.
3. Bring to a boil and cook for 3 to 4 minutes.
4. Remove from heat; cover and let stand 1 hour.
5. Tie spices in a cheesecloth bag.
6. Drain and rinse beans. Return to kettle.
7. Add spices and 2 1/2 quarts water. Bring to boil, then reduce heat and cover and simmer for 1 1/2 hours or until beans are tender, stirring occasionally.
8. Add tomatoes and heat through.
9. Remove spices and serve.

Food Exchanges: 2 Starch, 1 Vegetable, 1/2 Meat.

Recipe provided courtesy of Cooks Recipes provides many fine recipes for diabetic diets. Since its online debut in 1999, CooksRecipes.com has become one of the more popular and largest cooking and recipe sites on the Internet.