Classic Bean Soup with Wheat Berries

Ingredients

• 1 ham bone
• water to cover
• 8 ounces dried navy beans
• 8 ounces cranberry beans
• 8 ounces wheat berries
• 1 tablespoon celery salt
• 1 tablespoon dried thyme
• 1 tablespoon dried oregano
• 2 dashes Worcestershire sauce, or to taste
• fresh cracked black pepper to taste
• 8 ounces dried lentils
• salt and ground black pepper to taste
• 2 ripe tomatoes, diced
• 1 ripe avocado, diced
• 2 green onions, sliced, or more to taste

Step 1

Place the ham bone in your slow cooker and cover it with enough water. Let it cook on low for about 12 to 15 hours until the broth is nice and fragrant.

Step 2

While that’s going, put the navy beans, cranberry beans, and wheat berries in a large bowl and cover them with plenty of cool water. Let them soak for at least 8 hours or overnight, then drain.

Step 3

Once the stock is ready, take out the ham bone and add the soaked beans and wheat berries to the slow cooker. Toss in the celery salt, thyme, oregano, Worcestershire sauce, and some black pepper. Turn the heat to high and cook for about 4 hours, until the beans are tender but still have a bit of bite.

Step 4

Stir in the lentils and let everything cook on high for another hour or so, until the lentils are soft.

Step 5

Finish by seasoning the soup with salt and more black pepper to taste. Serve it up with a topping of diced tomatoes, avocado, and green onions for a fresh touch.