Fantastic Soup!

Boy got this recipe out of my Runner's World magazine--we made it last night for some friends and it vanished! Really great tasting and filling. High in protein, fiber, vitamin C and phytonutrients too. We used Great Northern beans and white kidney beans, and added more broth and beans to make a larger pot. Nearly 22 grams of protein per serving and only 6 grams of fat.

Hearty Ham and White Bean Soup

1 tablespoon olive oil
1 sweet onion, diced
1 1/2 teaspoons Italian seasoning
2 large carrots peeled,halved, and sliced
1/2 cabbage cored and shredded
12 oz lean ham steak diced
1 quart chicken broth
1 15 oz diced tomatoes
2 15 oz cans white beans, undrained
2 tablespoons parsley, chopped

Heat the oil over medium high heat in soup kettle. Add onion and saute until soft and golden, about five minutes. Add the Italian seasoning and saute until fragrant, about one minute. Add remaining ingredients (except the parsley) and bring to a full simmer, skimming any foam that rises to the surface. Reduce heat to low and simmer gently partially covered until the vegetables are just cooked and flavors blended, about 15 minutes. Stir in the parsley, cover, and let stand five minutes.

Comment: This works equally well with vegetable broth instead of chicken!!