White Bean and Sausage Soup

1 teaspoon olive oil

1 onion (for about 1 cup chopped)

2 ribs celery (for about 1 cup chopped)

2 cans (15 ounces each) navy beans

2 teaspoons bottled minced garlic

1 can (14 ounces) reduced-sodium, fat-free chicken broth

1 can (14½ ounces) no-salt-added diced tomatoes, seasoned with onions and garlic (see note)

1 bay leaf

½ teaspoon dried thyme

¼ teaspoon black pepper

8 ounces reduced-fat turkey kielbasa sausage (see note)

Heat the oil in a 4½-quart Dutch oven or soup pot over medium-high heat. Peel and coarsely chop the onion, adding it to the pot as you chop. Rinse and dice the celery, adding it to the pot as you cut. Cook, stirring frequently, until the onions begin to brown, about 3 minutes. Meanwhile, pour 1 can of the navy beans into a colander, rinse well and set aside to drain.

Stir the garlic into the onion mixture. Add the broth and tomatoes with their juices. Raise the heat to high. Add the remaining can of beans with its liquid along with the rinsed beans, bay leaf, thyme and pepper. Stir and cover the pot. When the soup comes to a boil, reduce the heat to low. While the soup is heating, cut the sausage in half lengthwise. Cut the pieces into ¼-inch, crescent-shaped slices and add them to the pot.

Stir the soup, re-cover the pot, and cook at a slow simmer for 7-10 minutes to let the flavors develop (or until ready to serve). To serve, discard the bay leaf and ladle the soup into bowls. The soup can be made up to 3 days ahead, covered and refrigerated.

Serves four.

Cook's note: Use seasoned no-salt tomatoes (such as with onions and garlic added) if you can find them, but plain work fine. Regular tomatoes also can be used. For variety, any type of lean, fully cooked sausage can be substituted, such as chicken sausage. Ham chunks also work well.

Nutrition values per serving: 419 calories, 10 g fat (3 g saturated), 57 g carbohydrates, 22 g fiber, 26 g protein, 35 mg cholesterol, 1,230 mg sodium.