May 6, 2020

Healthy Tuscan Bean Soup

Tuscan Bean Soup is the perfect one pot meal for stormy weather and busy weeknights!  Also, it’s super healthy!  Save some and freeze ahead for next time. INGREDIENTS
  • 1 large red onion
  • 1 clove garlic
  • 1 carrot
  • 2 sticks celery
  • 400g can chopped tomatoes
  • 1 tbsp tomato purée
  • 600ml well-flavoured vegetable stock
  • Handful of chopped parsley
  • 400g can borlotti beans, drained and rinsed
  • 400g can cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
  • 75g small pasta shapes of your choice, optional
  • Salt and freshly ground black pepper
  • 2 tbsp olive oil
METHOD
  1. PREPARE your veg by chopping
  2. HEAT the oil in a large non-stick saucepan
  3. SAUTE the onion for about 5 mins or until soft.
  4. STIR in the garlic, carrot and celery and cook for a further 5 mins.
  5. ADD the tomatoes, tomato purée, stock and seasoning.
  6. BRING to the boil, then reduce the heat to a simmer, cover and cook, stirring occasionally, for 20 mins or until the vegetables are soft.
  7. REMOVE half of the vegetable mixture and blend until smooth in a food processor. Return to the pan.
  8. ADD the beans & pasta, and simmer for a further 10 mins or until the pasta is cooked.
NOTES
  • If using pasta add an extra 200ml of water
  • Serve & garnish with some chopped parsley
  • Prep: 15 mins
  • Cooking: 30 mins
  • Difficulty: easy
  • Serves: 4-6
By Zina Stone January 1, 2026
Ingredients Salad 1 cup farro, dry ½ cup quinoa, dry 2 cups reduced-sodium vegetable broth (for cooking grains) 2 cups cooked chicken breast, diced or shredded 1 cucumber, diced 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved 1 green bell pepper, diced ¾ cup canned corn, drained and rinsed ½ cup black olives, sliced ¼ cup red onion, finely diced 1 cup chickpeas, drained and rinsed ¼ cup fresh parsley, chopped ½ cup feta cheese, crumbled Dressing ¼ cup olive oil 3 tbsp red wine vinegar (or apple cider vinegar) 1 tsp Dijon mustard 1 tsp dried oregano 1–2 tsp honey or maple syrup (to taste) ½ tsp salt (adjust as needed) ¼ tsp black pepper Instructions Step 1 - Cook the grains Rinse farro and quinoa. Combine with vegetable broth in a pot. Bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer, cover, and cook 20–25 minutes until tender. Drain any excess liquid and let cool slightly. Step 2- Prepare the salad base In a large bowl, add cooked grains, chicken, cucumber, tomatoes, bell pepper, corn, olives, red onion, chickpeas, and parsley. Step 3 - Make the dressing Whisk olive oil, vinegar, Dijon mustard, oregano, honey/maple syrup, salt, and pepper until smooth. Step 4 - Assemble Pour dressing over the salad and toss gently to combine. Sprinkle feta on top and mix lightly. Step 5 - Chill or serve Serve immediately or refrigerate 30–60 minutes to let flavors develop. Nutrition and Cooking Times Prep time: 20 minutes | Cook time: 30 minutes | Total time: 50 minutes Nutrient Value: Calories: 520 -560kcal | Protein: 38-42g | Fat: 20-23g | Carbohydrates: 48-52g | Fibre: 11 - 14g
By Zina Stone January 1, 2026
Cable & Core Workout
By Zina Stone January 1, 2026
In this bulletin we discuss Cooling the Muscle. . .