arame and pinquito bean soup w/ millet

I have a bit of a soup fetish.  If you haven't noticed. 

Soup is how I stretch my dollar at the end of the month.  It is so versatile.  Think everything but the kitchen sink.  And it can easily be nutrient dense if you add the right ingredients.  Complete protein even.

This recipe is truly everything but the kitchen sink.  I had almost a cup of beans [mostly pinquito, but a few red and one or two black beans as well].  I had some arame I have been meaning to crack open.  Some cooked millet from last night's coconut pumpkin curry.  Three leeks and half of a bulb of fennel.  That's all it takes.  Truly.

So nutritious.  Dried beans from the farmers market, soaked overnight to rid them of phytic acid, which would otherwise hinder you from absorbing their high mineral content.  Gluten free and high in manganese, tryptophan, magnesium and phosphorus, millet adds whole grain nutrition and makes this dish a complete protein.*  Arame, a wild seaweed, adds calcium, iodine, iron, magnesium and vitamin A.

Random?  Yes.  A winner?  Definitely.  Will I be making this one again?  Heck yeah!

arame and pinquito bean soup w/ millet

serves 4-6

about 1 cup dried beans, soaked overnight

1 cup cooked millet

1/2 cup lightly packed arame, soaked in cool water 5 mins and drained

1/2 fennel bulb, finely chopped

3 leeks, white parts removed and finely chopped

1 medium yellow onion, finely chopped

2-3 carrots, thinly sliced at an angle

3 bay leaves

1 generous pinch herbs de provence

4 garlic cloves, crushed and coarsely chopped

2-3 tsp celtic sea salt

butter, ghee or heat stable fat

8-9 cups water or homemade chicken stock

Drain and rinse your soaked beans.  Rest in a colander.
In a large, heavy pot, heat a generous spoonful of fat over medium high heat.  Add the onions and leeks and saute until translucent.  Add garlic and fennel.  Continue to cook for 2-3 minutes.

Add carrots, beans, bay leaves, herbs, and sea salt.  Stir to combine and until fragrant.

Add water/stock, cover and bring to a boil.  Lower to a simmer and cook for 35-45 minutes or until beans are tender.  Add arame and continue to cook for 5-10 minutes.  Stir in millet and remove from heat.

*When you combine 2 of the following, you are providing your body with enough of all nine essential amino acids, and therefore, a complete protein.  A complete protein is equivalent to that which you obtain from animal protein and is necessary for many body functions including the structure, function, and regulation of the body’s tissues and organs. 

• legumes
• whole grains
• nuts and seeds