After the pure joy of learning you and your partner are pregnant, and the resulting weeks or even months of anticipation planning for the new addition to the family, hearing news of a pregnancy loss can be absolutely devastating.
It can be difficult to find the right words for a couple you love who is going through this hardship, which is one reason I think sending wholesome and comforting meals is such a great idea.
It’s tempting to shower your loved ones in need with favorite “comfort foods" like cakes, lasagnas, and casseroles, but I’d like to suggest an alternative.
Through both professional and personal conversations with a number of women in my life, I have learned that many just really aren’t in the mood for rich and heavy entrees during this time.
For many of these women, there could be nothing better than a light yet warm, comforting, and nourishing soup.
With a base of nutritious Great Northern Beans, fresh vegetables and a blend of comforting herbs and spices, this Creamy Vegan Great Northern Bean Soup is a simple meal idea that can help your loved ones better cope with loss by supporting mental, emotional, and physical health and wellbeing.
What I love most about this recipe is that unlike most creamy soups, this version doesn’t require any cream!
Creamy and protein-rich pureed Great Northern Beans take care of that job for us, making this dish a great option for those looking to avoid that weighed down or bloated feeling that can often result from over-indulging in heavier dishes.
This soup, my friends, is true comfort food.
Like most soup recipes, this dish can easily be batch-cooked ahead of time and is a great option for storing in the freezer if you want to prepare a double (or triple!) batch. It can easily be reheated in either the microwave or on the stovetop for convenient and healthy meals later on.
Couples that already have little ones at home will also love that this soup is nutritious and kid-friendly. It’s truly something the entire family can enjoy.
Consider including a freshly baked loaf of bread for dipping!
Serves: 4
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Creamy Vegan Great Northern Bean Soup
TOTAL TIME
60 MIN
PREP TIME
20 MIN
This recipe is developed and written by Ginger Hultin, RD and Stephanie McKercher, RDN. A rich and thick soup that is both comforting and nourishing, this meal will help a woman coping with loss. It has the additional benefit of keeping in the refrigerator and freezes well. This is important because women coping with loss have variable appetites.
Ingredients
2 cans (15.5 oz each) Great Northern Beans, drained and rinsed (divided)
2 medium carrots, peeled and sliced into rounds
2 stalks celery, diced
1 medium onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 ½ cups vegetable broth
¼ teaspoon sea salt
½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 medium sprig fresh rosemary
1 large bay leaf
Instructions
Mash one can of beans in a small bowl and set aside (use a potato masher, fork, or immersion blender). In a large saucepan, sauté carrots, celery, onion, and garlic in olive oil for 3-4 minutes over medium heat until carrots and celery are soft and onions are translucent. Stir in broth, salt, pepper, sprig of rosemary, bay leaf, mashed and whole beans. Simmer over medium heat for 8-10 minutes, remove rosemary and bay leaf and serve hot.
Reference
For further information visit Stephanie McKercher at The Grateful Grazer.
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