New Covent Garden Choc Full of Beans Soup- Can It Be True? (New Covent Garden Choc Full of Beans Soup)

Member Name: Machair1

Product:	New Covent Garden Choc Full of Beans Soup
Date:	08/12/08 (82 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Healthy ready made fresh soup convenient and delicious.

Disadvantages: None

Chocolate soup- I can almost hear you saying whatever next? I must admit the thought crossed my mind but I was lured into buying it after reading an excellent review on Dooyoo-ah the joys of this website. I have tried so many new things since I joined!

I actually love New Covent Garden soups having been buying them for many years. They are brilliant when I want a quick and filling lunch, and since their beginnings the range has expanded so much there are so many to choose from you never get bored. They were formed in 1987 and prior to this it is hard to believe that fresh soups were unavailable in supermarkets. Growing up in the 60s and 70s soup was either home made or Heinz in a tin, and steaming bowls were often served to keep icy hands warm on snowy days. I am quite a soup lover and often make them at home especially with beans and pulses as being vegetarian I find these are protein rich and satisfying. I still like the odd tin of Heinz but when you compare it to the fresh soups it really is a different product altogether in a different league.

Yes things have moved on and although I love to make home made soup it isn't always possible and this is where these are a real asset in my fridge. The soup ranges are not all vegetarian but many are and they have beans in some of them which makes them almost like a meal in themselves and close to what I like to make myself.
This soup is called choc full of beans. The basic recipe is a spicy chilli soup laced with dark chocolate. It is this November's soup of the month but there is plenty still around and in Tesco it is buy two for £3. Good value as it serves 3 to 4 if you heat up both cartons.
This soup contains tomatoes, onions, red kidney beans, haricot beans, black-eyed beans, long grain rice, tomato paste, dark chocolate and spices.
The colour is a rich red/brown with a packed soup full of hearty ingredients. The flavour is Mexican and fiery and warming. You can't pick out the chocolate flavour at all but you can tell there is something special in there.
I must say I had heard of Chilli Chocolate before now but in scanning the internet have discovered chilli is quite often flavoured with dark chocolate so the next time I am planning to make a chilli I think I might experiment with the odd square of dark chocolate to see if anyone notices!

I served it to my son and husband this weekend and I must admit the look on their faces when I told them what is was was really quite amusing, but they tucked in as usual with gusto and cleaned their plates so I think I can testify to the fact that they loved it!

You can freeze the soup so I am planning to raid the shelves in Tesco and freeze some of this before it goes off the menu for a while.
New Covent Garden pride themselves in making soup with all healthy ingredients as if you have just made it yourself.
This Xmas they are also supporting the Salvation Army in their work with the homeless.
I think it's great that there are companies out there who are striving to provide healthy food for when we are living busy lives.

Recently my mum had a stroke and although she is making a good recovery she is severely disabled and my dad has found these soups a joy. They are so useful to serve at lunchtime as he grows accustomed to doing more of the household chores. They are also good for weight loss being low in fat and calories.

Summary: A great soup with imagination. Lovely to have in the fridge or freezer for busy days.