Healthy Navy Bean & Ham Soup

The weather is going to turn this week and it's going to be quite chilly the next few days. So, this means that soup is going to be on the dinner menu a few nights this week. We really enjoy soup in our household, but we always prefer homemade over canned versions. We usually just make some crusty wheat baquettes and have buttered bread and soup. This bean and ham soup is really great with some homemade cornbread as well.

Healthy Navy Bean & Ham Soup
Serves: 8 to 10
Adapted by: http://danicasdaily.com/a-healthy-holiday-conclusion-soup-leftover-ideas

Ingredients
1 pound dried navy beans
1 cup chopped ham
2 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil
1 red bell pepper, chopped
1 red onion, chopped
1 cup carrots, chopped
1 cup celery, chopped
4 cloves of garlic, minced
32 oz reduced sodium chicken broth
15oz diced tomatoes with green chiles - Rotel
1 leftover ham bone or ham hock (optional, but recommended)
salt and pepper, to taste
Garnishments: cooked, crumbled bacon or fresh parsley, optional

Directions:
-Sort and wash navy beans; place in a large dutch oven and cover with water. Soak overnight. If you need to do a quick soak method, you will cover with water to 2 inches above the beans; bring to a boil, and cook for 2 minutes. Remove from heat and let sit covered for 1 hour. Drain beans and use them.
-Heat olive oil in a large stock pan over medium heat and add ham. Cook ham for 5 minutes. Add bell pepper, onion, carrots, celery, and garlic. Saute 10 minutes or until browned.
-Stir in chicken broth. Add tomatoes and beans. Bring to a boil, cover and reduce heat. Simmer 1 hour or until beans are tender.
-If you used a ham bone/ham hock, please remove to cool. Remove any ham pieces and chop up and add to soup.
-Serve up a bowl and top with bacon pieces and parsley.
-If you want it to be more creamy, take 2 cups of the bean soup and blender with a blender or immersion blender and puree until creamy. Add back to soup pot and stir together.

Enjoy! :)