Toasted Bread, Bean, and Vegetable Soup

Ingredients

• 4 cups bread (such as ciabatta)
• 15 oz cannellini beans drained and rinsed canned
• 2 medium carrots chopped
• 2  celery stalks chopped
• 1.5 qts chicken broth 
• 2 tablespoons basil fresh chopped
• 2 tablespoons cilantro leaves fresh chopped
• 2  garlic clove minced
• 6 servings pepper black freshly ground
• 3 tbsp olive oil divided
• 2 cups swiss chard chopped
• 4  canned tomatoes whole canned quartered
• 0.5  onion white chopped

Equipment

• bowl
• baking sheet
• oven
• pot

Directions

1. Heat 1 tbsp. olive oil in a large pot over medium heat.
2. Add onion and garlic; cook until transparent, about 5 minutes.
3. Add carrots and celery and cook, stirring often, 5 minutes. Stir in broth and beans, then bring to a boil. Reduce heat, cover, and simmer about 15 minutes.
4. Add tomatoes and chard and simmer another 15 minutes, covered.
5. Meanwhile, preheat oven to 35
6. Lay bread pieces on a rimmed baking sheet in a single layer.
7. Drizzle with remaining 2 tbsp. olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Toast in oven until slightly golden, about 10 minutes. Set croutons aside.
8. Just before serving, add basil and cilantro and season to taste with salt and pepper.
9. Divide soup among serving bowls and top each with a few warm croutons. Grate parmesan directly over soup if you like.
10. *Muir Glen canned tomatoes are exceptionally flavorful and somehow don't taste as "canned" as other brands.