Quick & Easy: Hearty soup just the ticket for winter

SAUSAGE AND THREE BEAN SOUP

6 oz. low-fat turkey or chicken sausage

1 tbsp. olive oil

1 cup sliced onion

½ cup sliced carrots

½ cup sliced parsnips

1 cup rinsed and drained canned red kidney beans

1 cup rinsed and drained canned chickpeas

1 cup frozen baby lima beans

4 cups canned low-sodium, peeled whole tomatoes including liquid

1 cup fat-free, low-sodium chicken broth

1 tsp. ground cumin

2 tsp. chili powder

Salt and freshly ground pepper

Cut sausage into ½-inch slices. Heat olive oil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add sausage slices, onion, carrots and parsnips. Saute 3 minutes.

Add kidney beans, chickpeas, lima beans, tomatoes, chicken broth, cumin and chili powder. Break up tomatoes with a spoon or knife and bring to a simmer. Simmer 15 minutes. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Makes 2 servings.

— Linda Gassenheimer

Miami Herald