The air is getting cooler and the daylight hours getting shorter. What better way to enjoy the midseason of fall than with a bowl of hot soup, chili, or stew. The recipes here are easy and inexpensive to make, can be doubled or tripled depending on the crowd, and store well for leftovers. Not to mention, they are high in flavor and fiber, and vegan.
Swiss Chard and White Bean Soup
In this recipe, the beans and brown rice carry the bulk of the fiber weight, but the combination of peppers, onion, and Swiss chard hold some weight too. In a one cup serving, you’ll earn yourself at least 7 grams of fiber. Mop it up with a few slices of whole wheat baguette and you are well on your way to 10 grams.
1 Tbsp. olive oil
1 medium red onion, chopped
1 ½ cups red and green pepper, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 Tbsp. dried Italian herbs
14.5 oz. can diced tomatoes
4 cups water
4 cups vegetable broth
2 14.5 oz. cans white cannellini beans, rinsed
½ cup brown rice, uncooked
3 cups washed and chopped Swiss chard leaves, stems removed
Salt and fresh ground pepper to taste
Heat olive oil in a large soup pot over medium-high heat. Saute onion, peppers, and garlic until for about 3 – 5 minutes. Add herbs and diced tomatoes, continue stirring and cooking for one minute. Add water, broth, and beans. Bring soup to a boil, then reduce heat to a simmer and simmer soup for about 45 minutes. Stir in rice and Swiss chard. Simmer soup for 15 more minutes until rice is cooked. Season with salt and pepper as desired. Makes 8 servings.
Sweet Potato Black Bean Chili
This recipe is fit for a crowd, and the combination of sweet potatoes with spiced black beans will leave you wanting to make this recipe again and again. If you aren’t sure you like black bean chili, try this recipe!
1 Tbsp. olive oil
1 medium onion, chopped
1 red pepper, chopped
5 cloves garlic, minced
2 tsp. salt
1 large sweet potato, cubed
Juice and zest of one lime
28 oz. can diced tomatoes
4, 15 oz. cans black beans, rinsed and drained
1 Tbsp. cumin
1 Tbsp. chili powder
1 cup cilantro, chopped (optional)
Heat olive oil in a large soup pot over medium-high heat. Add onion, garlic, red pepper, and salt. Saute for about 5 minutes or until soft. Add sweet potato and lime zest, and cook for about 10 more minutes while stirring occasionally. Add diced tomatoes, drained black beans, lime juice, and spices. Bring all ingredients to a simmer, cover, and cook for 10 – 15 additional minutes. Sprinkle with cilantro. Makes 11 servings.
This hearty chili recipe is overflowing with fiber from the beans, vegetables, and a little bit from the sweet potato. An easy 8 plus grams of fiber in every cup of this chili, and more than that if you decide to serve it over brown rice.
Looking for even more fiber? Make your dessert a Fiber d’Lish bar, with flavors like Chocolate Brownie, Blondie, and Peanut Chocolate Chip you can satisfy your cravings while enjoying 12 grams of fiber.
Anne Marie Kuchera, MS, MA, RD, LPC is a registered dietitian, and both a licensed nutritionist and licensed professional counselor. She manages community-based obesity prevention and preventive health and wellness initiatives through Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh of UPMC.