Ham and Bean Soup (Soy, Wheat, Nut, Fish, Egg and Milk-Free)

I am so sorry it has taken so long for me to post a new recipe!  Since before Christmas, we have been dealing with illness, computer issues and so much more!  Hopefully today's recipe was worth the wait, though. :)

I don't know about you, but winter time = soup, stew and chili time!  I just like a delicious, hot and hardy dish on those cold days and nights, and nothing fits the bill like soup, stew or chili!  And if that soup, stew or chili just so happens to be allergy-friendly, well, that puts it over the top!

This soup is my take on your classic ham and bean soup.  It is original to me, though I did take some pointers off the web (I went to allrecipes.com and researched ham and bean soups) and from my mom and Granny.  This is the end result.  I hope you like it!

This recipe is soy (if you use all soy-free ingredients), fish, nut, wheat, milk and egg-free.  It is also super easy!  Win-win! :)

Ham and Bean Soup

soy-free ham, cooked and chopped into bite-sized pieces

(Amount is to taste, but I would go with around 2 Cups to start.)

1 bottle (24 or 48 oz.) soy-free Great Northern Beans (I recommend Randall's), drained and rinsed

4 or 5 medium potatoes, chopped into bite-sized pieces

(Type and peeled or not is up to you, but I would recommend using red or yellow potatoes if you're not planning on peeling them.)

4 Cups soy-free ham stock (I used the juice that was left over from cooking the ham) or water or a combination of both

(You can add more or less to taste.)

1 teaspoon soy-free onion salt (I recommend McCormick's)

1 teaspoon soy-free celery salt (I recommend McCormick's)

1 Tablespoon dried parsley

1/2 teaspoon white or black pepper

1. Combine all ingredients in a large stock pot and bring to a boil.
     
   
2. Simmer (reducing heat if necessary to keep soup from boiling over) for about 1/2 hour or until the potatoes are to desired doneness.

That's it!  Couldn't get much easier than that!  It makes a ton, too!  One recipe feeds a family of 5 well with leftovers - 4 quarts or so is my guess based on that it fills my 5 1/2 quart stock pot about three quarters or so full!

Variations (Please keep your individual dietary and allergy needs in mind when using substitutions, thank you!):

• Less Sodium/Salty: Ham and ham stock can be very salty, especially if you are using the juice that is left over from cooking the ham as your stock.  If this is the case, use mostly or even all water and even consider using onion powder (1 teaspoon) or diced onion (1 small or medium, depending on your preference) instead of the onion salt and/or 1/4 Cup or so diced celery or 1 teaspoon celery seed in place of the celery salt.
• Different Stock: If you want to try using chicken or vegetable stock instead of ham stock or water, you most certainly could do that.
• Less/No Potatoes: If you feel there are too many potatoes, you can reduce the number.  If you don't like potatoes at all, you can certainly leave them out.
• More Veggies: You can certainly add more veggies, too, if you wish, as well as use the substitutions that I mentioned in the "Less Sodium/Salty" variation.  More potatoes, shredded carrots, peas, broccoli, cauliflower, kale, spinach - any of these in any combination that you want would be good additions.  I would start with adding no more than 1/2 Cup of each, though, since you don't want to overload the pot. :)  Feel free to add more broth or water, too, if necessary when you add more veggies, and adjust the spice level accordingly.  Just remember to cook your soup until all your veggies are to desired doneness, too, and note that you may not want to add kale or spinach until there are about 10 minutes left in the cooking process if you don't want them too well done.
• Different Beans: If you have trouble with Great Northern Beans, you can always use another mild white bean like Cannellini.

This soup is hearty, easy and delicious, not to mention perfect for a cold winter day!

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What's your favorite soup?

What's your favorite winter recipe?

(This recipe was originally posted on my original site, Natural and Free.)