Simple Black Bean Soup

Homemade black bean soup without additives or preservatives.  A great lunch or with a salad as a dinner.  Eating 3 vegetarian dinners a week is not only healthy; it is very cost effective.  During the fall I like to eat soup, so each week I make a different soup.

Serves: 8

Cooking dried beans is low maintenance and a great value. Make sure to plan ahead and allow time for soaking the beans. Soak overnight in water 6-8 hours – rinse well before using

Ingredients: 

1 pound dried black beans (about 2 1/2 cups), rinsed

1 container of organic chicken stock (About 16 ounces)

2 medium onions, chopped

1 large red bell pepper, seeded and chopped

4 cloves garlic, finely chopped

1 tablespoon ground cumin

1 teaspoon ground chipotle pepper or ground Chili Powder

1 tomato- diced

2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro

1 tablespoon fresh lime juice

1 Jalapeno - seeds removed and diced or 1 Tsp. red pepper flakes (Optional)

In a large stock pot, cook onion, peppers and garlic using ½ cup of chicken stock instead of oil.  Once onion is translucent, stir in cumin powder and Chipotle Pepper powder cook for 1 minute.   Add drained beans and the rest of container of chicken stock and 4 cups of water.  Bring soup to a boil, then lower to a simmer and cook, uncovered, for 1 1/2 to 2 hours, until beans are tender.  Remove 4 cups soup and carefully purée in a blender. Return purée to pot and stir in cilantro and lime juice.  Serve with diced tomato on top. (Topping with Avocado instead of sour cream is another healthy option)

Notes: 

This is a good soup to make on your cooking day for quick meals during the week.  (I use Sunday as cooking day.  I make breakfasts like crockpot oatmeal, soups and side dishes.  This makes homemade weekday meals easier.  I plan my meals for the week on Saturdays before shopping and then make what I can ahead of time on my cooking day, which is Sunday.  Taking a couple hours of prep time on Sunday saves time, money and makes healthier weekday eating possible for even the busiest schedules.  Involve the family in planning the menu for the next week. It takes some of the pressure off of you helps them to feel involved with family decisions.  Children should be a part of the process from planning and shopping to cooking it so that they will eat the healthy food you are making together.