Chocolate Bean Soup! (New Covent Garden Choc Full of Beans Soup)

Member Name: jasminesarah

Product:	New Covent Garden Choc Full of Beans Soup
Date:	01/12/08 (492 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Delicious unusual soup, fresh ingredients

Disadvantages: Fresh soups are pricier and have a short shelf life

Soup is great, isn't it? Warming and comforting, but pretty much guilt free. Soup is forming the staple of my lunches at the moment, and whilst I like to make my own most of the time, New Covent Garden soups provide a nearly-home-made alternative. A carton of this fresh soup is made with 'all natural ingredients' and provides two portions.

This variety, Choc Full of Beans, is one of New Covent Garden's 'Soup of the Month' range. At the moment I am quite keen on beany soups, as I am a Vegetarian beans provide protein and make for a filling soup. Then I noticed that the 'Choc full' actually refers to real chocolate in the ingredients, and I was intrigued! Small quantities of dark chocolate are often used in Mexican chilli recipes and the principle here is the same. Like all New Covent Garden soups, it needs to be stored in the fridge (although it can be frozen) and can be easily reheated in a few minutes either in the microwave or on the hob. For this reason I have found these soups to be a great option for taking to work, as we have a microwave and it is lovely to have a hot meal at lunchtime.

The carton describes this product as 'Mildly spiced mixed bean chilli with a hint of chocolate'. The ingredients include tomatoes, kidney haricot and black eyed beans, rice and spices, as you would expect from bean chilli. The amount of organic dark chocolate included is less than 1%, so this is not a sweet dish, rather it adds a smoothness and depth that you might not be able to put your finger on without knowing the mystery ingredient.

I found this to be the nicest chilli bean soup I have tasted and if I make my own in future I'll be tempted to try adding a square of chocolate! For now, if you see any of this soup for sale I suggest you grab some, as it won't be around for long. A half carton serving of this soup provides 168 calories and is low in Fat, Saturated Fat and Sugar. A carton costs around £1.99, but is frequently on Special Offer - currently some varieties are half price at Tesco.

New Covent Garden Food Co. are currently fundraising for the Salvation Army in support of their work helping homeless people get back on their feet, making their soups an even more attractive choice this winter.

Summary: Well worth a try!