Ingredients:

  Amount  Measure       Ingredient -- Preparation Method
--------  ------------  --------------------------------
  2 1/2           cups  presoaked great northern beans
  2             medium  onions
  2        tablespoons  canola oil
  2          teaspoons  sugar
  1 1/2           cups  sun-dried tomatoes
  2 1/2      teaspoons  thyme
  3        tablespoons  extra virgin olive oil
     1/4           cup  chopped fresh parsley
  3        tablespoons  balsamic vinegar -- (to taste), (3 to 4)
                        salt and fresh ground black pepper -- (to
                        taste)
                        grated parmesan cheese -- (garnish)

Preparation:

Bring presoaked beans to a boil with 8 cups water. Simmer for 1 1/2 hours (until beans are tender). While beans are cooking, saut‚ onions in canola oil with sugar. Once onions are soft, lower heat and continue cooking 20-25 minutes (until onions are a rich brown color). Cover tomatoes with boiling water, let sit 4-5 minutes. Drain (reserving soaking liquid) and dice. Once beans are tender, add thyme, olive oil, salt and pepper, onion, tomatoes, parsley, vinegar and enough of the tomato soaking liquid to bring soup to desired consistency. Serve topped with parmesan cheese.

Nutritional Information:

931 Calories (kcal); 71g Total Fat; (64% calories from fat); 14g Protein; 75g Carbohydrate; 0mg Cholesterol; 1589mg Sodium