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–+ servings

Fat Flush Soup 3.0

Inspired by a traditional Tuscan white bean soup, our Fat Flush Soup 3.0 is packed with ingredients to help you boost your metabolism and feel full without ingesting too many calories. Beans are the ultimate weight-loss ingredient—they’re packed with fiber and protein and are incredibly easy to prepare. For easy, hands-off cooking, we’ve also designed this recipe for your slow cooker. Simply dump the ingredients in your slow cooker in the morning, then add the finishing touches to your healthy, vegetable-packed soup when you get home. While you might be tempted to speed this recipe up by cooking it on high, cooking the beans low and slow will give you a more tender, creamy bite. We like to finish this soup with a zesty Italian gremolata to add some brightness and texture. Our version of this vibrant green sauce is studded with toasted walnuts, which are shown to increase your resting metabolism, and is full of good-for-you fats from olive oil. Lastly, for a tiny bit of decadence, we’ve also added a Parmesan rind at the beginning of the cooking process. This adds remarkable flavor to the beans and gives the broth an unctuous texture. We like to toss spare Parmesan rinds in a bag in the freezer for just this purpose. For more of the nitty-gritty details about this miraculous fat-flushing soup, check out the Notes at the bottom of the recipe.
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Course Entrées, Soups
Servings 4 servings

Ingredients
  

  • 1 pound dried Great Northern beans soaked overnight and drained (optional, see Notes)
  • 6 cups chicken or vegetable stock or low-sodium broth preferably homemade
  • 1 28-ounce can whole peeled tomatoes lightly crushed with your hands
  • 1 small yellow onion finely chopped
  • 1 large carrot finely chopped
  • 2 rosemary sprigs
  • 1 large Parmesan rind
  • 1 teaspoon fennel seeds
  • ¾ teaspoon crushed red pepper plus more as needed
  • 4 garlic cloves minced
  • ½ cup walnuts
  • 2 cups packed tender green herbs such as parsley, basil, tarragon, and dill, finely chopped
  • Zest and juice of one lemon
  • 1 cup extra-virgin olive oil
  • Kosher salt and pepper
  • 1 large bunch lacinato kale or Swiss chard stemmed and leaves chopped

Instructions
 

  • Scatter the beans in a 6- to 8-quart slow cooker. Add the stock, tomatoes, onion, carrot, rosemary, Parmesan rind, fennel seeds, ½ teaspoon of the crushed red pepper, and 3 of the minced garlic cloves. Give all the ingredients a stir. Cook on LOW for 6 to 8 hours, or until the beans are tender. Depending on the age of the beans, they may require a longer cooking time.
  • Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 350°. Spread the walnuts on a pie plate and toast until fragrant and beginning to brown, about 8 minutes. Transfer the walnuts to a cutting board and finely chop. In a medium bowl, combine the walnuts with the chopped herbs, lemon zest and juice, olive oil, and the remaining ¼ teaspoon of crushed red pepper and 1 minced garlic clove. Season with salt and pepper. Cover with plastic and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes or up to overnight. Bring to room temperature before serving.
  • When the beans are tender, add the chopped kale, cover, and cook on HIGH for 30 minutes, or until the kale has wilted. Discard the rosemary sprigs and Parmesan rind and season the soup with salt and pepper. Ladle into bowls and serve with a generous spoonful of walnut gremolata on top.

Notes

NOTE One of the advantages to cooking beans in a slow cooker is that you do not need to soak them overnight (kidney beans are the exception). However, if beans tend to give you stomach issues, soaking them can help “de-flame” the beans by removing some of the enzymes that cause intestinal discomfort. Presoaking can also speed up the cooking process. To soak beans, place them in a large bowl and cover with at least 2 inches of water. Let sit overnight and then drain before using. Sift through the beans to remove any potential grit or rocks.
MAKE AHEAD The soup can hold on WARM for 1 to 2 hours.
INGREDIENT INFO:
  • Dark greens: Dark leafy greens, such as kale, collard greens, Swiss chard, and spinach, are high in the anti-stress nutrient magnesium (stress has a direct connection to weight management) and add important fiber and nutrients for overall health, satiety, and fat-burning capabilities.
  • Tomatoes: Tomatoes are very efficient at metabolizing fat. They’re also packed
    with antioxidants (one of the most significant being lycopene). According to experts, lycopene can help rev up metabolism naturally.
  • Garlic: Garlic is rich in inulin, the fiber that helps the body digest food more efficiently and steadies blood sugar.
  • Beans: Beans are the ultimate weight-loss food. They have a perfect ratio of fiber and protein, which helps you fill up without ingesting too many calories. They’re also versatile, cheap, and super easy to prepare in a slow cooker.
  • Olive oil: This is one of the best healthy fats you can incorporate into your diet.
  • Walnuts: Nuts have been shown to increase resting metabolism. A faster metabolism can help flush out any bloating.
  • Crushed red pepper: Peppers are packed with capsaicin, which speeds up fat loss by boosting the body’s ability to convert food to fuel.
  • Lemon: Bitter foods like lemon help stimulate your body's GI juices and aid the start of the digestion process (this is why you see a lot of people drink water and lemon first thing in the morning!). A healthier digestive system means your body can break down food better and absorb more nutrients, both of which help you maintain a healthy weight and flat belly.
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