Yesterday I wrote about learning from chefs who have transformed their cooking techniques to create healthier meals. I described dishes developed by restaurateur Joe Bastianich, who changed his diet and lifestyle over the last few years to lose more than 60 lbs.

For dinner last night, I tried his Quick White Bean Stew with Swiss Chard and Tomatoes, which he prepared on Today in October 2009. On the website video, he suggested adding sausage and consommé to the ingredients listed. For my version, I substituted escarole for the Swiss chard and a 14 ½-oz. can of reduced-sodium beef broth for the consommé.  I also used 2 tablespoons of olive oil, rather than ¼ cup, and sliced one link of cooked Italian sausage and added it to the mix.

I have to admit that I was a bit skeptical because the recipe contained so few ingredients, but the soup was rich and flavorful. The only thing my family complained about was that they wanted more, so next time I’ll make a double batch.