I had LOTS of requests for this soup from my husband.  Each week when we went to Trader Joe’s, he would pick up the 17 Bean mixed bag and say, “Hey Jen… can you make this for us?” and each time I’d say “Sure but I’ve already meal planned for the week!  Let’s do it later, okay?”  Truthfully, I’m not a big fan of “hodge podge mish-mash” kinds of meals where everything is in one package (like chicken pot pie or simple things like this bean soup where there are too many beans to keep my type A personally in check!)  However, this week, I knew I would be working late, and Ben would be going away next week for a medical mission training in Trinidad, so I made it!  And boy, was my head hung in shame… it was great!  And super healthy!  Based on nutrtional information for the beans and the fact that the only other ingredients are tomatos, celery, onion, and carrots with some broth… I’m estimating 2 points for 1 cup of soup.  Does that sound too low to y’all?  Here’s the recipe:

17 Bean & Barley Soup from Trader Joe’s

2 cups 17 bean and barley soup mix (just 16oz dried beans, if you don’t have a Trader Joe’s)
2 - 32oz containers of vegetable broth (I used Reduced Sodium Chicken Stock)
1 cup onion chopped
1 cup celery chopped
1 cup carrot chopped
1 cup bell pepper chopped  (I forgot to buy one, and mine was still great!)
1 tsp dried basil
1 clove garlic minced
2 tbsp olive oil
1 bay leaf
1/2 tsp italian seasoning (I added a mix of oregano, basil, garlic pepper since I didn’t have a premixed seasoning)
1 - 28oz can diced canned tomatoes
salt and pepper to taste

Soak beans overnight in a large pot of water, then rinse and drain. Pour 4 cups of broth into a pot with the beans. In a separate pan, cook onion, celery, carrot, pepper, basil and garilc in olive oil until soft. Combine this mixture and remaining ingredients into the bean pot and cover with more broth. Simmer covered for about 1 hour to desired tenderness. Be sure to occasionally check the liquid level and add more broth if necessary. Salt and pepper to desired taste. Makes about 8 hearty servings. 

Day one of Wendi went quite well!  I had a big snaffoo over lunch… my preceptor (boss) took me out to lunch from our noon hospital rounds, and he wanted Mexican food.  So, Mexican it was!  Now, I’m not a huge fan of a “big lunch” but yesterday it worked out well since I was able to eat a smaller dinner (points wise).  I think I also made some good choices, and I strayed away from the chips at the table.  I also drank a lot of water.  I wasn’t able to exercise since I drove the hour and 20 minutes home from my work site yesterday.  But I did get quite a bit of work done… so mabe today I’ll have less to do and more time to move!

Today is Day 2 of Wendi… which means 27 points!  I honestly don’t even know what I’m going to do since that’s just so much front passing glance.  Here’s what I think:

Today’s Weight: 171.8 (I know… I wasn’t supposed to weigh, but I couldn’t help myself!)
Next Weigh-In: Monday, March 24th
Daily Points, Wendi Day 2: 27

Food:
B: Oatmeal with Splenda and cinnamon, 3
B: Coffee with FF Half-n-Half and Splenda, 0
B: Apple, 1
L: Drug Rep Lunch–Chicken Salad on Hoagie Roll (no other choices!!!), 8+3
L: About 4 chips, 1
L: Orange, 1
L: Two small PB cookies, 5
D: Steamed veggies in citrus sauce, 2
D: WW Yogurt, 1
D: Starbucks Skinny Latte, 2
TOTAL: 27 points