Healthy Black Bean Soup

I hope everyone had a great Thanksgiving! I sure did. My husband and I had 3 other couples over for Thanksgiving Dinner and it was delicious! I know everyone is gearing up for Christmas, now. I know there will be another round sweets and feasting before the New Year detox, but I can’t help but feel like I already over did it enough for the rest of the year and next year. With all the pies I made through out the month and a growing baby belly, I am feeling stuffed to the gills! And although I am tempted to run down stairs and make brownies right this very second, I think I need to cut back a little and try to control my consumption of empty calories. At least until I get bit by the Christmas baking bug. So, I share with you today, a recipe for black bean soup that is packed with flavor and nutrition. It is easy to make, it fills you up, and it keeps you full. You could very well make this a vegetarian dish by using vegetable broth instead of chicken broth. Or you could go the other way and add crumbled bacon. This is one of my husbands favorite meals!

NOTE: I HAVE UPDATED THIS RECIPE SLIGHTLY (5/7/2014). CHANGES WILL BE IN RED AND ARE OPTIONAL, BUT MAKE IT EVEN YUMMIER!

PRINTABLE RECIPE

 Ingredients:

• 1 TBSP. vegetable oil
• 1 large onion, minced
• 3 celery ribs, chopped thinly
• 2 –3 carrots, peeled and diced

You can also use a 12 oz. bag of frozen mirepoix veggies instead of the above onions, celery, and carrots.

• 6 garlic cloves (4 or 5 if your cloves are really big), pressed
• 4 1/2 tsp. ground cumin ( I grinded some of my own cumin and noticed that it was way more potent and 3 tsp. was plenty. I’m not sure how potent or fresh your cumin is, so maybe start with 3 tsp., then add more at the end after tasting it.)
• 1/4 tsp. red pepper flakes
• 4 (15 oz.) cans black beans, drained and rinsed
• 1 can (10 oz.) can of diced tomatoes & green chiles
• 4 C. chicken broth or vegetable broth
• 2 TBSP. fresh lime juice or juice of one lime (you can add more to taste)
• salt and pepper to taste
• chili powder or chipotle powder to taste
• shredded cheese (for topping)
• sour cream (for topping)
• avocados for topping
• sliced limes for squeezing
• tortilla chips (for dipping)

Directions:

1. Heat the oil in a large stainless steel pot over medium high until it bubbles and crackles when you add a little piece of onion. Add the onions, celery, and carrots and cook until the vegetables are tender, stirring occasionally.

2. Stir in the garlic, cumin, and red pepper flakes. Add the veggie stock,beans, and tomatoes. Bring to a simmer. Cook for about 30 minutes, until the beans are really soft.

3. Use a hand held immersion blender to blend some of the beans until soup is your desired smoothness. If you don’t have a hand held stick blender, just puree the soup in a blender and add it back to the pot.

4. Stir in the lime juice. Add salt, pepper, and chili powder or chipotle powder to taste.

5. Top with sour cream, avocadoes, and shredded cheese and serve with lime slices and tortilla chips. Or serve with corn bread.

Recipe by Edible Experiments, but inspired by The America’s Test Kitchen Healthy Family Cookbook