Time for Soup

By MAYI BRADY

Jan. 10, 2001 12 AM PT

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