Garlic Bean Soup

* 1-1/3 cups onions, chopped
* 2/3 cup sliced carrots
* 1/3 cup sliced celery
* 8 cloves garlic, peeled, crushed
* 1 Tbs. plus 1 tsp. olive oil
* 2-1/3 cups fat-free low sodium chicken broth, or vegetable broth
* 1-1/4 lbs. canned Great Northern beans, or garbanzo beans, rinsed, drained
* 1/8 tsp. chives or parsley, optional

Sauté onion, carrot, celery, and garlic in oil in large saucepan 3-4 minutes. Add chicken broth and beans; heat to boiling reduce heat and simmer until vegetables are tender, 5-8 minutes. Process soup in food processor or blender until smooth. Serve in bowls; sprinkle with chives or parsley.

Note: you can substitute frozen onion and prepared chopped garlic; to save preparation time, chopped baby carrots may be used. You can make soup 1-2 days in advance; refrigerate covered.