{"id":6745,"date":"2017-03-22T08:41:11","date_gmt":"2017-03-22T15:41:11","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/lifeandhealth.wordifysites.com\/?p=6745"},"modified":"2017-05-09T14:55:38","modified_gmt":"2017-05-09T21:55:38","slug":"vegan-ish-week-1-italian-white-bean-soup","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/lifeandhealth.org\/food\/nutrition\/vegan-ish-week-1-italian-white-bean-soup\/086745.html","title":{"rendered":"Vegan-ish, Week 1: Italian White Bean Soup"},"content":{"rendered":"

Italian white bean soup is a comfort-food classic. There are obviously many iterations of the dish, but the key features are chicken broth, some kind of aromatic herb and, of course, beans.<\/span><\/p>\n

This particular recipe calls for rosemary so I\u2019m looking for that to shine through. I\u2019m also looking forward to seeing if this recipe can recreate the deep flavor of a good chicken broth without, you know, chicken.<\/span><\/p>\n

THE COOK<\/b><\/h2>\n

It doesn\u2019t get much simpler than this.<\/span><\/p>\n

Four ingredients, one pot and 20 minutes is all it takes. \u201cBut Jason, the recipe says 10 minutes!\u201d Well, I had a look and a taste at 10 minutes but I ended up letting the soup simmer a bit longer than listed in the cookbook because I felt like the soup needed a bit more time for the flavors to develop and for it to thicken up. The only prep work was mincing a couple cloves of garlic and chopping up some rosemary.<\/span><\/p>\n

The recipe calls for an ingredient I\u2019ve never used before: <\/span>McKay\u2019s Chicken Style Instant Broth and Seasoning<\/span><\/a>. Based on the package design, it would look right at home on the shelf of a 1950s era fallout shelter. The smell is a bit reminiscent of an instant noodle flavor packet with a hint of yeast. I\u2019ll admit, I had one eyebrow up while I was pouring this into the pot.<\/span><\/p>\n

Could McKay\u2019s Chicken Style Instant Broth and Seasoning deliver the same mouthful as its title?<\/span><\/p>\n

THE TASTE<\/b><\/h2>\n

I was pleasantly surprised when I had my first spoonful. The rosemary was the first thing that hit me, but it didn\u2019t overpower the dish; and the beans gave the soup that weight you want in a hearty meal. It was a bit monotonous in terms of texture so a crusty piece of toast or some crackers would be the perfect companion for this soup.<\/span><\/p>\n

The chicken style seasoning actually succeeded in creating a chicken broth flavor. I\u2019d say a majority of people would have no idea that it was a meat-free soup. And while it didn\u2019t have the same gravitas as a true homemade chicken broth, it outperformed most instant seasonings I\u2019ve ever had.<\/span><\/p>\n

Admittedly, it was ever-so-slightly underseasoned for my taste so I did add a pinch of salt. When I ate the leftovers the next day, the soup was even more flavorful and made for a nice lunch.<\/span><\/p>\n

\"Italian<\/a><\/p>\n

THE VERDICT<\/b><\/h2>\n

Parents need to whip up a quick lunch for the family? College kids, want to learn a super easy dish that can still impress? This is the soup for you.<\/p>\n

It would be a <\/span>little<\/span><\/i> boring to eat on its own, but would go perfectly with a sandwich or salad. Plus, I am still seriously amazed at how simple it was to whip together.<\/span><\/p>\n

As for my fellow meat-eaters, like I mentioned before, the chicken style seasoning doesn\u2019t have that same depth of flavor as a good homemade chicken broth. But realistically, not everyone has the time to make their own broth. If you\u2019re thinking about just using a store-bought chicken broth, you might as well just stick with the McKay\u2019s seasoning, which I must admit outperformed my early expectations. It\u2019s an easy way to introduce a vegan dish into your life with little to no sacrifice from your tastebuds.<\/span><\/p>\n

I\u2019ll definitely be making this dish again, and when I do, both eyebrows will be firmly down.<\/span><\/p>\n

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Click to read Jason\u2019s other “Vegan-ish” articles:<\/p>\n