White Bean Soup with Ham, Pumpkin, and Chard
"Years ago my doctor advised me to “eat colorful foods”. “When you look at the foods on your plate, there should be lots of color and variety,” he explained. Great advice, and easy to remember. Colorful fruits and vegetables are loaded with nutrients. Here’s a warming fall and winter stew that is so alive with color, it makes me smile just to look at it. Just take your basic white bean and ham soup, and rev it up with tomatoes, fresh pumpkin, and chard. My father came over to try some for lunch and went home with half the batch (I wouldn’t let him take it all). Enjoy!..."
INGREDIENTS
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2 Tbsp olive oil
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2 cups chopped yellow onion
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3 bay leaves
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2 stalks of celery, chopped
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4 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
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One 2 pound whole sugar pumpkin, halved, seeds scooped out, flesh peeled, and cut into 1-inch chunks (resulting in 3 1/2 cups or 1 pound of chunks)
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1/2 Âpound ham hock
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8 cups chicken stock
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1 15-ounce can of whole peeled tomatoes, drained OR 1 large fresh, ripe tomato, peeled and chopped
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2 15-ounce cans of cannellini white beans, rinsed and drained
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6 sprigs of thyme, tied with string (or 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme)
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1 large sage leaf (optional)
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4 large Swiss chard leaves (can substitute kale), center rib removed, leaves roughly chopped
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Freshly ground black pepper to taste
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