Miss Othmar's Soup

You may not know who Miss Othmar is. I didn’t until today. We’re going to talk a little bit about fiber. Whenever anyone talks about fiber, I start to hear the voice of Charlie Brown’s teacher. Her name is Miss Othmar (There! You learned something.). This soup is dedicated to her. Don’t tune us out! It is delicious and full of fiber!

The Institute of Medicine recommends that adults and children get 14 grams of fiber for each 1000 calories they eat per day. This was overwhelming when I first started all this. I’d never paid attention to fiber before in my life. It’s important because it lowers cholesterol, thus preventing heart disease, and significantly lowers your risk of colon cancer. If you want to see more specifics, you can read more here: Harvard Nutrition Source

I eat 1500 calories a day and keep my fiber anywhere from 20-33 grams/day. I’m not real rigid about it. I just try to get enough. There are so many options, if you’re not gluten-free, of high fiber breads or tortillas or bagels. There are always fiber bars if you’re in a pinch.

Those of you who are gluten-free will find that beans, oatmeal, fruits and vegetables will be your best sources of fiber. Oranges are so good right now that I have one every afternoon. There’s not much you can eat that beats the flavor and texture of a really good orange and they have 7 grams of fiber in each one.

I first tasted this type of soup from a can. I got it because of the fiber content. I’d never loved black beans – never tried them, really. Our older daughter is vegetarian, so this is a great meal to make when she is coming over. Every time I make it, there are audible “mmmm’s” around the table. It warms the belly and we love that at our house. I usually pair it with gluten-free cornbread muffins or biscuits.

This is the recipe from which I adapted this soup. I haven’t ventured into soaking beans. I will, just not yet.

Taste of Home Black Bean Soup 2

Black Bean Soup

1 tbsp canola oil

1 onion

1 carrot, shredded

4 garlic cloves, chopped

Saute in pan until onions are translucent.

Add:

4 cups vegetable broth

1 tsp oregano

4 cans black beans, drained and rinsed

Cook on medium for 30 minutes

Add:

1 - 6 oz can tomato paste

Salt and pepper to taste

Stir in well. Cook 15-20 more minutes.

Cool on stove slightly before serving.

Nutrition Facts for a 238 gram bowl of soup:

• Calories: 165.5
• Fat: 2
• Carbs: 36.8
• Fiber: 9.7
• Protein: 9.7

Enjoy!