Spicy Black Bean Soup

Thanks to my talented mother-in-law, Sandi, we are able to share this delightful soup recipe with you! Quick and simple, this soup works well for dinner on a busy day, or to serve for dinner guests who will never guess it took less than 30 minutes to prepare! Serve with plenty of guacamole or sliced avocado and garnish with chopped cilantro. If you like sour cream, try a frugal vegan alternative – unsweetened, plain soy yogurt or coconut yogurt.

We often double or triple soup recipes and store them in quart-sized containers in the freezer for future meals. One of my “homemaker goals” is to always keep our freezer full of healthy meals we can easily reheat, baked goods for a rushed morning, a variety of cooked beans, and frozen fruits for smoothies. Preparation does take time and thought, but it helps greatly when you are short of time or not feeling well. We are expecting our second child in early November and I am planning to make plenty of healthy meals to store in the freezer that will be super simple to reheat. We will be sharing some of our nourishing meal recipes that are freezer friendly on our blog in the coming weeks!

Recipe:
1 red onion, chopped
1 pepper chopped – red, orange or yellow
1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and finely chopped
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
5 cloves garlic, minced
3 cans black beans, drained and rinsed
3-4 cups vegetable broth
1 can diced tomatoes with chilies, undrained
1 can fire roasted chopped tomatoes (14 ounce size)
1 can chopped green chilies, undrained
1/3 cup sherry
chopped cilantro to garnish
guacamole to garnish

Directions:
In a dutch oven, heat oil and saute onions, peppers and garlic in oil until tender. Add beans, broth, tomatoes and chilies. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer for 25 minutes.

Place half of the soup in a blender and blend until pureed. Return to the pan and heat through. Add sherry and cilantro, cook a few minutes longer. Top with fresh guacamole.