Healthy Vegan - Balsamic Tomato and Butter Beans Soup

We tend to enjoy soup at the weekend.  There was once a time when I would make it on a Sunday for us to enjoy during the working week, but the reality was when we come home from a long day at work, we really want to tuck into something more substantial than slurp from a bowl.
D has a tendency to pick up tomatoes from the grocers even out of season.  He knows they cannot ever be compared to homegrown, but he likes to have them as an option for his home-made sandwiches or cherry tomatoes for salads.   These tomatoes had not been used for either and to the touch were beginning to soften here and there.  After enjoying the Seven Spice Butter Bean Stew I was inspired to make a soup of them with the addition of butter beans. 
As you can imagine, the tomatoes were not the tastiest, so I decided to a little balsamic vinegar for sharp flavour, this was a good move as it made for a good soup. I am sharing this with Farmers Girl  Kitchen and Baking Queen 74 for January Slow Cooked Challenge. 



Slow Cooked Balsamic Tomatoes and Butter Beans 
Serves 6
Ingredients
250grams dried butter beans soaked overnight, then cooked the following day until tender.  
Drain and set aside.

 2 tablespoons olive oil
2 large onions, minced
3 cloves garlic, rushed
1 generous teaspoon dried oregano 
450grams fresh tomatoes, roughly chopped (or 1 x 400grams tinned tomatoes)
1 tablespoons tomato paste
1 teaspoon balsamic vinegar
250ml vegetable stock
Salt to taste
Method
In a wide pan, heat the oil then stir in the onions and garlic and saute until very very soft.
Stir in the oregano and chopped tomatoes, balsamic vinegar and paste.  
Cook for a few minutes to coat the ingredients well in the balsamic paste, then stir in the stock and the butter beans.  
Bring to the boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for 35 - 40 minutes until thick.  
Taste and adjust seasoning if necessary. 
Serve. 

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