Winter warmup: Cream of wild rice soup

Curl up with something warm and healthy this winter: cream of wild rice soup.

"Wild rice is a nutrient-rich whole grain with a nutty flavor that is a good source of dietary fiber and contains more protein than other types of rice," says Allyn Wergin, a registered dietitian at Mayo Clinic Health System in Le Sueur and New Prague, Minnesota.

Using 1% milk and pureed beans in this recipe keeps the fat low, and amps up the flavor and texture.

Cream of Wild Rice Soup

Ingredients

• 1/2 tablespoon canola oil
• 1 1/2 cups diced yellow onion
• 1 cup diced carrot
• 1 cup diced celery
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 1/2 cups chopped kale
• 1 tablespoon minced parsley
• 2 cups low-sodium vegetable stock
• 1 teaspoon fennel seeds, crushed
• 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1 cup unsalted prepared white beans (or about half of a 15.5 ounce can of white beans, rinsed and drained)
• 2 cups 1% milk
• 1/2 cup wild rice, cooked

Directions

In a pot over medium heat, add canola oil and sauté onion, carrot, celery and garlic until lightly brown. Stir in kale, parsley, stock and spices. Bring to a boil. In a blender, puree beans with milk. Add the bean mixture to the soup, bring to simmer and add rice. Cook for 30 minutes.

Servings: 4

Nutritional information per serving (2 cups):
236 calories; 4 g fat (1 g saturated fat; 0 g trans fat); 6 mg cholesterol; 180 mg sodium; 38 g carbohydrates; 7 g fiber; 0 g added sugars; 12 g protein.

Recipe reprinted with permission from mayoclinic.org.

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