Chicken and Red Bean Soup

⅓c small red beans

4 chicken thighs

3 lg. carrots

2-3c sliced celery

6 lg. cloves garlic

4 lg. green onions

¼c sliced purple onion

1 15oz. can petite diced tomatoes

1-1½c dry white wine

bay leaves, Italian seasonings

garlic sea salt, fresh ground lemon pepper

Put the beans and a couple cups of cold water in a pot.  Bring to a simmer and cook for 15 minutes.  Drain, rinse and repeat.  Do this 2-3 times until the beans are just barely tender.  Skin the chicken, wash it in cool water and cut off all the fat.  Cut the chicken into bite size pieces and set aside.  

Slice, chop or dice the vegetables into a 3-5 quart pot.  Drizzle with just a little olive oil, stir then saute until the vegetables are scenting your kitchen.  Add the tomatoes, and wine.  I added only a little fresh ground lemon pepper.  The vegetables created so much flavor on their own!  Cover and simmer on low heat, adding a little water if needed and any herbs or seasoning you'd like.  Add chicken and beans, cover and simmer 30-45 minutes until the chicken is cooked, the beans are done and your kitchen smells heavenly. . .Lin