Sixteen Bean Soup

I was planning to go with cream of "some veggie" soup but at the last moment switched to this bean soup, as I had to clear the leftover bean soup mix from my pantry. Earlier I had prepared this soup in different ways but this time, I used the recipe printed on the bean packet, that yielded a hearty soup. This was one of the Hurst bean bags I won as part of the raffle of Susan's "MLLA - My Legume Love Affair" event. Each bean bag came with a recipe printed on them and a packet of seasoning. However I decided to let go the seasoning after going through the ingredients list. It had red food color and smoked flavor. I was sure that no one at my home would prefer the smoked flavor and besides I have this paranoia with food colors, especially the red one ever since I read somewhere that one variety use bugs to get that color. Instead I went with a vegetable bouillon and some tomato sauce that I was planning to use up by this week. And so a preferred seasoning or the one that came along with the bean bag can be used.
If this mixed bean bag is unavailable in your area, just mix and match the beans from your pantry and create your own. For an idea, you can go with any of the following - large / baby lima beans, green /yellow split peas, garbanzo, white / red kidney beans, peas, cranberry bean, black beans, navy beans, lentils, black eyed peas, northern, white bean, pink bean and red beans.

Ingredients: ( 3- 4 servings)
1 cup mixed beans
1 Tbsp oil
One onion, finely minced
1/2 cup carrot diced
1/2 cup celery diced
3/4 cup can, diced or stewed tomatoes
Salt, pepper and chili powder as preferred
Seasoning of your choice

Method:
* Soak the beans overnight in water. Drain the water used for soaking in the morning and cook beans until tender. Being an Indian, I obviously use my pressure cooker for cooking beans quickly.
* Heat oil in a pan and add onion, carrot and celery. Saute for about 10 minutes and then add the tomatoes. At this point if you would like to add any other vegetables, you can and also the seasoning packet if using. Cover and simmer until the vegetables are done (If using.) I skipped the seasoning here and went with vegetable stock and some tomato sauce instead. 
* Add the cooked beans, salt, pepper to the cooked vegetables. Add water to the desired consistency and simmer for some more time. I made it watery than the soup you see in the picture.

The result is a filling, protein rich soup.

This is my Day 2 post of Blogging Marathon #26, under the theme "Soups and Salads". Check what other marathoners are cooking during this BM#26.

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