Time for Soup

By MAYI BRADY

Jan. 10, 2001 12 AM PT

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TIMES STAFF WRITER

Simple hearty soups are just the ticket on cool winter evenings. Thanks to canned beans and packaged ham, you can pull one together in no time after a long day at work. Keep some canned goods on hand, and you can make this whenever a chill strikes.

Just add a simple tossed salad from the huge selection of bagged salads in the produce section of your supermarket and a loaf of crusty bread.

White Bean, Tomato and Ham Soup

Active Work and Total Preparation Time: 25 minutes

1 tablespoon oil

1 onion, diced

4 cloves garlic, minced

2 (15-ounce) cans small white beans, drained

3 (14 1/2-ounce) cans chicken broth

1 large tomato, seeded and chopped

1 1/2 cups chopped ham

2 teaspoons minced fresh thyme

Salt

Freshly ground pepper

* Heat the oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add the onion and cook, stirring, until it softens, about 3 to 4 minutes. Add the garlic and cook until it is fragrant, about 1 to 2 minutes. Add the beans and broth and bring them to a simmer. Reduce the heat to low and continue to cook 10 minutes.

* With a fork, mash up about one-fourth of the beans, stirring well to slightly thicken the soup.

* Add the tomato, ham and thyme and cook until the soup is heated through, about 5 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper, if needed.

4 servings. Each serving: 365 calories; 2,836 mg sodium; 31 mg cholesterol; 11 grams fat; 34 grams carbohydrates; 32 grams protein; 6.36 grams fiber.

White Bean, Tomato and Ham Soup

Crusty Bread

Tossed Salad

GAME PLAN

30 minutes before: Wash and dry salad greens, slice bread.

25 minutes before: Chop onion, mince garlic.

20 minutes before: Begin cooking soup. Drain beans, chop tomato, chop ham and mince thyme.

5 minutes before: Toast bread, dress salad, finish soup.

INGREDIENTS