Three Bean Soup with Cucumber and Jicama Salad. Linda Gassenheimer/TNS

Thick, hearty soup and a salad make a warm and welcoming vegetarian dinner. This soup freezes well. If you have time, make double and you will have another meal ready.

Jicama is a root vegetable with a thin brown skin and crunchy white flesh. It can be eaten raw or cooked. The nutty flavor and crisp texture are refreshing with the thick soup.

Helpful Hints:

• If jicama is unavailable, any crunchy vegetable such as broccoli can be used.

• Diced onion is used in both recipes. Dice it all at one time and divide accordingly.

• Any type of oil and vinegar dressing can be used for the salad.

Countdown:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees to warm bread.

• Make soup.

• While soup cooks, make salad.

Shopping List:

To buy: 1 small parsnip, 1 can reduced-sodium red kidney beans, 1 can reduced-sodium chick peas, 1 small package frozen baby lima beans, 1 large can (32 ounces needed) reduced-sodium peeled tomatoes, 1 jalapeno pepper, 1 medium cucumber, 1/4 pound jicama, 1 red onion, 1 container no-salt-added vegetable broth, 1 bottle ground cumin, 1 bottle chili powder, and 1 small whole-wheat baguette.

Staples: Reduced-fat oil and vinegar dressing, carrots, salt and black peppercorns.

THREE BEAN SOUP

Recipe by Linda Gassenheimer

1 cup diced red onion

1/2 cup diced carrot

1/2 cup diced parsnips

1-1/4-cups water, divided use

3/4 cup rinsed and drained reduced-sodium red kidney beans

3/4 cup rinsed and drained reduced-sodium chick peas

1 cup frozen baby lima beans

4 cups reduced-sodium canned peeled tomatoes

1 cup no-salt-added vegetable broth

2 teaspoons ground cumin

2 teaspoons chili powder

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

2 slices whole-wheat baguette

Place onion, carrot, parsnips and 1/4 cup water in a large saucepan. Saute 5 minutes. Add kidney beans, chick peas, lima beans, tomatoes, vegetable broth, remaining 1 cup water, cumin and chili powder. Break up tomatoes with a spoon or knife. Simmer 20 minutes. Add salt and pepper to taste. Place bread in oven to warm for 5 minutes.

Yields 2 servings.

Per serving: 586 calories (11% from fat), 6.9 g fat (0.9 g saturated, 1.4 g monounsaturated), no cholesterol, 29.7 g protein, 111 g carbohydrates, 30.6 g fiber, 604 mg sodium.

CUCUMBER AND JICAMA SALAD

Recipe by Linda Gassenheimer

2 tablespoons reduced-fat oil and vinegar dressing

1 tablespoon diced red onion

2 teaspoons seeded, chopped jalapeno pepper

1 cup peeled, sliced cucumber (cut large slices in half)

1 cup peeled and sliced jicama, (about same size as cucumber)

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Pour dressing into a salad bowl. Stir in onion and jalapeno pepper. Add the cucumber and jicama and toss well. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Yields 2 servings.

Per serving: 45 calories (22% from fat), 1.1 g fat (0.01 g saturated, 0.3 g monounsaturated), 1 mg cholesterol, 1 g protein, 8.4 g carbohydrates, 3.8 g fiber, 8 mg sodium.

Linda Gassenheimer is an author of over 30 cookbooks. Her newest is “The 12-Week Diabetes Cookbook.” Find her on Facebook (@FoodNewsandViews) and Twitter (@LGassenheimer), and listen to her podcasts at www.880thebiz.com.