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1
Put the beans in a Dutch oven.
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2
Cover with 2 inches of water (this is not the 4 cups water).
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3
Bring to a boil over medium-high heat.
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4
Boil for 2 minutes.
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5
Remove from the heat.
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6
Let stand, covered, for 1 hour.
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7
Drain in a colander.
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8
Return the beans to the pot.
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9
Stir in 4 cups water, the onion, ham, garlic, and bay leaves.
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10
Bring to a boil over medium-high heat.
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11
Reduce the heat and simmer, covered, for 1 hour, stirring occasionally.
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12
Discard the bay leaves.
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13
Stir in the carrots and salt.
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14
Increase the heat to medium high and return to a simmer.
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15
Simmer, uncovered, for 20 minutes, or until the beans and carrots are tender.
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16
For a creamier texture, transfer about 2 cups soup to a medium bowl.
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17
Mash the soup with a potato masher.
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18
Stir the mashed soup into the soup in the pot.
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19
For a smoother soup, in a food processor or blender, process all the soup in batches (without mashing any beans first) until the desired consistency.
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20
Meanwhile, in a small nonstick skillet, heat the oil over medium heat, swirling to coat the bottom.
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21
Cook the sage for 1 to 2 minutes, or until crisp, stirring frequently.
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22
Transfer the sage to paper towels and drain.
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23
Crumble and set aside.
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24
Use to garnish the soup.
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25
Most individuals need about 4,700 milligrams of potassium daily to help keep blood pressure levels at a healthy level.
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26
A serving of this soup provides almost one-fourth of that amount, primarily because of the lima beans.
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27
Like other processed meats, ham usually is extremely high in sodium.
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28
When you shop, be sure to read product labels and select ham with the lowest amounts of sodium, saturated fat, and cholesterol.
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29
It doesnt take much ham to provide a lot of flavor; in this recipe, just over a tablespoon per serving does the job.
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30
(Per serving)
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31
Calories: 285
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32
Total fat: 2.0g
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33
Saturated: 0.5g
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34
Trans: 0.0g
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35
Polyunsaturated: 0.5g
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36
Monounsaturated: 1.0g
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37
Cholesterol: 5mg
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38
Sodium: 248mg
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39
Carbohydrates: 51g
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40
Fiber: 16g
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41
Sugars: 11g
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42
Protein: 17g
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43
Calcium: 91mg
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44
Potassium: 1,080mg
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45
3 starch
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46
1 vegetable
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47
1 very lean meat
