Courtesy Cheryl Forberg

If you have the luxury of time, the soup is even better the second day, after the flavors have married. Serve with crusty bread for dipping. For a heartier version, add chopped lean Canadian bacon or cooked, crumbled turkey Italian sausage.

2 Tbsp. olive oil

1 1/2 cups finely chopped yellow onions

4 cloves garlic, minced

2 Tbsp. polenta (stone-ground cornmeal)

1 tsp. yellow mustard seeds

2 cups sauerkraut, rinsed and drained

4 cups fat-free reduced sodium chicken broth (or vegetable broth)

1 bay leaf

1 tsp. dried thyme

1 1/2 cups cooked cannellini beans or 1 (15-ounce) can, rinsed and drained

Salt and pepper to taste

Garnish:

2 Tbsp. chopped fresh Italian parsley, without stems

Heat oil in a 3-quart saucepan over medium heat. Add onions and sauté until translucent and just beginning to brown, 5 minutes. Add garlic and sauté for 1 minute; do not brown. Stir in cornmeal and mustard seeds until combined.

Stir in sauerkraut and simmer for 2 minutes. Carefully add broth, bay leaf, and thyme; bring to a boil. Stir in beans and return to a boil. Reduce heat to low and simmer for 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Remove bay leaf before serving. Garnish with parsley. Yield: About seven cups or six servings.

Recipes reprinted with permission from “Positively Ageless:  A 28-Day Plan for a Younger, Slimmer, Sexier You” (Rodale) and “Stop the Clock! Cooking: Defy Aging — Eat the Foods You Love” (Penguin/Avery) by Cheryl Forberg RD.