2 Bean Soup (Crock Pot)

This soup is wonderful -- don't skip the basil pistou -- never had one before but it makes the soup heavenly and different from any other bean soup I've ever had. For the second day lunch - I just had the soup added the pistou to the tupperware container - heated it up in the microwave at work -- the smell was wonderful and the taste -- yum! I changed the original recipe from The Healthy Slow Cooker to adjust to what I had on hand. My version is listed here -- the original version was very similar but used larger amounts of ingredients - and I used what I had on hand.

• Ready In: 8 hrs 30 mins
• Serves: 4-6

Ingredients

• 1  tablespoon olive oil
• 1  onion, chopped
• 2  carrots, peeled and sliced
• 1  teaspoon fennel seed
• 1 (14 ounce) can tomatoes, diced
• 4  cups vegetable broth
• 2  potatoes, peeled and diced
• 2 (14 ounce) cans white beans (I used Cannellini, white kidney beans and chick peas)
• 2  cups frozen green beans (do not thaw the beans, or they will turn mushy with the long crock pot cooking time)
•  salt
•  pepper

• For the Pistou

• 1  cup basil leaves
• 4  garlic cloves
• 1⁄3 cup parmesan cheese, grated
• 1⁄4 cup olive oil (I use extra virgin olive oil)

Directions

1. In a small skillet over medium heat, add fennel seeds and cook stirring for a few minutes (2-3 minutes) or until seeds are toasted and fragrant. Remove from heat and transfer to a mortar and pestal and crush seeds. Set aside.
2. In a skillet, heat oil over medium heat for 30 seconds or so. Add onions and carrots, stirring until vegetables are softened (6-10 minutes).
3. Stir in toasted fennel seeds and cook stirring another minute.
4. Add tomatoes with juice and bring to a boil.
5. Transfer mixture to crock pot.
6. Add broth, potatoes, white beans and green beans.
7. Cover and cook on low for 8 hours. Season with salt and pepper.
8. To make pistou -- in a food processor or blender combine basil, garlic and parmesan - process until smooth. Slowly add the olive oil through the food tube until combined.
9. Ladle soup into bowls and top with the pistou.