Black Bean and Vegetable Soup

Winter has us in its icy grips and in order to please Mrs. Shopaholic and her ever cold feet I often make soup. This soup if full of vegetables and is both nutritious and delicious.  This soup is an excellent source of dietary fiber, vegetable protein, vitamins A, C, folate, calcium and other minerals.

Black Bean and Vegetable Soup

This recipe takes about 45 minutes to prepare and serves 6 adult portions.  You can garnish it up with a dollop of sour cream.

Black Bean and Vegetable Soup
Combine in a stock pot:
	1 TBSP of Vegetable Oil or Canola Oil
	2 Celery Stalks, diced
	2 Medium Carrots, diced
	1 Medium Onion, diced
	2 Cloves Garlic, minced
	1/2 TSP Ground, Cumin
	1 Pinch of Cayenne Pepper
	1/2 TSP Salt
	1/4 TSP Pepper
Ingredients for Step 2:
	2 Cans Black Beans (19oz/540ml), drained and rinsed
	2 Cups (500ml) Sodium Reduced Chicken Stock
	4 Cups (1 L) Water
Ingredients to Finish Soup:
	1 Green Onion, diced
	1/4 Cup Fresh Coriander (loosely packed), chopped
Steps:
	1) In a large stock pot, heat oil over medium high heat with celery, onions and seasonings.  Stirring often about 6 minutes or until vegetables are softened.
	2) Add Black beans, chicken stock and water and bring to a boil.
	3) Reduce heat to a simmer and cover with lid.  Cook vegetables until tender about 20 minutes.  Stirring occasionally.
	4) Using an immersion blender puree the soup until smooth or use a blender and perform in batches.  Simmer soup until needed.
	5) Prior to serving soup add green onion and coriander.  Stir soup to mix in.  Serve hot and with a dollup of sour cream (if desired).
Soup will last up to 3 days in the fridge.  When reheating consider adding more water to get to desired thickness.  Soup will thicken overtime.

Ingredients for Black Bean and Vegetable Soup

Step 1: Frying the Vegetables and Seasonings

Step 2: Add Beans, Stock and Water, and bringing the Soup to a boil

Step 4: After Blending the Soup

The Finished Soup

Additions and Substitutions:

• For spicier soup add 1/4 tsp of cayenne pepper.  
• For those who don't like Coriander (aka Cilantro) omit it from the recipe. 

Fun Facts that I learned while 'wiki-ing' some of the ingredients for this recipe:

• Black Beans are also known as Black Turtle Beans and are commonly used in Latin American cooking.  Further there are 6 common sub-varieties: Black Magic, Blackhawk, Domino, Nighthank, Valentine and Zorro.
• Coriander is also known as Cilantro and Spanish Parsley. Approximately, 1 in 10 people have an allergic response to it.  For those who have the allergy the side effects could as limited as horrible taste in ones mouth, swelling tongue and gums, itching throat to abdominal cramping, bloating, vomiting or diarrhea. It is a genetic pre-disposition and if you are allergic to coriander you are also allergic to birch tree pollen.  I could not find an article that I would recommend on the subject from Google.  
• Onions need not be stored in a fridge.  Just a dark, dry and cool place.  However, onions stored in the fridge will release less sulfenic acids, which turn into a gas and irritates the eyes.  Also, cutting onions routinely will reduce the eye irritation.  Another alternative to reduce eye irritation and the smell is too light a candle near the cutting board.

Tex Mex Black Bean Soup Recipe

This is a flavorful soup that is a great starter for Mexican food, steak, ribs or BBQ chicken. The soup takes about 30 minutes total to prepare and needs about 20 minutes on the stove. It serves 4 portions.  

Tex Mex Black Bean Soup with shredded Cheddar cheese garnish

Tex Mex Black Bean Soup
In Large Saucepan or Stock Pot at medium heat combine:
	1 TBSP Vegetable Oil
	1 White Onion Finely Diced
	1 Sweet Red Pepper finely diced
	3 Cloves Garlic minced
	1 TSP Ground Cumin
	1/2 TSP Salt
	Pinch Cayenne Pepper
Stir occasionally and cook for 5 minutes or until onions are softened.
Add and bring to a boil:
	1 Can (19oz/540ml) Black Beans with liquid
	2 Cups (500ml) Sodium Reduced Chicken Stock
Once at a boil, cover pot and let simmer for 10 minutes.
Using a hand blender, blend soup until smooth.  Keep warm in pot until serving.
Add and stir to finish soup:
	2 TBSP fresh squeezed Lime Juice
	2 TBSP fresh Cilantro finely chopped
Serve hot with a dollop of sour cream at the centre of each bowl.

Note: This recipe can be made hours ahead and reheated.  Just add the lime juice and cilantro just prior to serving.  Also, the soup will also thicken with time.  Add more water to get to desired consistency.  

Ingredients for Tex Mex Black Bean Soup

Step 1 - Frying the vegetables and seasonings.

Step 2 - After adding chicken stock and black beans.

Step 3 - After blending soup.

Tex Mex Black Bean Soup

Garnishes and Additions:

• Substitute the dollop of sour cream with sprinkling of shredded Cheddar or Monterrey Jack cheese, or homemade bacon bits.
• For a spicier soup add a second pinch of Cayenne pepper.

What I've learned in making this soup:

• Cilantro is also commonly referred to as Coriander or Chinese Parsley.  Although, I think it is labeled as Cilantro in most Canadian grocery stores.  Cilantro can normally be found next to fresh dill and parsley.
• Cayenne pepper increases in heat the longer you cook it.
• For tips on blending soups, see my previous blog on White Cannellini Bean Soup.
• Low-Fat Sour cream is not photogenic in hot soup.  It just dissolves, hence no decent photo.