Ham, beans, cabbage all stars in this hearty soup

Runner’s World has a feature, The Athlete’s Palate, which I quite enjoy.

Each month you get a different recipe from a cookbook authors and chefs who just happen to also be runners, triathletes and the like.

I recently made a soup with all kinds of goodies — diced ham, cannellini beans, chopped cabbage — based on a recipe ripped out of a back issue. I used less cabbage, added dried oregano (I love it in practically any dish) and used turkey ham because of my aversion to most pork products. Also, I used baby carrots where the recipe called for large carrots just because of what was already in the fridge.

The soup was quite hearty, and was speedy enough for a weeknight meal.

Ham, Cabbage and White Bean Soup
Adapted from Runner’s World
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 medium yellow onion, diced small
1 ½ teaspoons Italian seasoning
1 tablespoon dried oregano
12 baby carrots, chopped
2 cups chopped green cabbage
3 cups ham, diced small
4 cups low-sodium chicken broth
14.5-ounce can diced tomatoes
2 15-ounce cans cannellini beans
Salt and pepper, to taste

Heat oil over medium-high in soup pot. Add onion and sauté until soft and golden, roughly five minutes. Add Italian seasoning and oregano and stir until fragrant, about a minute. Add remaining ingredients and bring to a simmer. Reduce heat to low, cover pot and simmer until vegetables are cooked, 10-15 minutes. Season with salt and pepper, and serve.