Another Black Bean Soup

Vegan Black Bean Soup

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 large onion, chopped
  
• 1 stalk celery, chopped
• 2 carrots, chopped
• 4 cloves garlic, chopped
• 2 tablespoons chili powder
• 1 tablespoon ground cumin
• 1 pinch black pepper
• 4 cups vegetable broth
• 4 (15 ounce) cans black beans (rinsed)
  
• 1 (15 ounce) can whole kernel corn
• 1 (14.5 ounce) can crushed tomatoes (full can)
  

1. Heat oil in a large pot over medium-high heat. Saute onion, celery, carrots and garlic for 5 minutes. Season with chili powder, cumin, and black pepper; cook for 1 minute. Stir in vegetable broth, 2 cans of beans, and corn. Bring to a boil.
2. Meanwhile, in a food processor or blender, process remaining 2 cans beans and tomatoes until smooth. Stir into boiling soup mixture, reduce heat to medium, and simmer for 15 minutes.

My tips: I cut back just a little on the chili powder and cumin. I would add a lot more carrots and celery next time. I used frozen corn instead of canned. And I omitted one can of black beans and added pinto beans instead (not to the blender part).

I really really liked this! I think it's my new favorite healthy soup.

Tomato Bisque/Pasta Sauce

• 3 cups carrot juice
• 1 1/2 pounds tomatoes, chopped or 1 (28 oz) can whole tomatoes, no-salt-added or low sodium (San Marzano variety is best, lower acid and sweeter)
• 1/4 cup sun-dried tomatoes, chopped
• 2 celery stalks, chopped
• 1 small onion, chopped
• 1 leek, chopped
• 1 large shallot, chopped
• 3 cloves garlic, chopped
• 2 tablespoons Dr. Fuhrman's MatoZest or other no salt seasoning
• 1 teaspoon dried thyme, crumbled
• 1 small bay leaf
• 1/2 cup raw cashews or 1/4 cup raw cashew butter
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh basil
• 5 ounces organic baby spinach 

In a large saucepan, add all ingredients except the cashews, basil and spinach. Simmer for 30 minutes. Discard the bay leaf.
Remove 2 cups of the vegetables with a slotted spoon and set aside. Puree the remaining soup with the cashews in a food processor or high powered blender until smooth. Return the pureed soup along with the reserved vegetables to the pot. Stir in the basil and spinach and heat until spinach is wilted.
 
From Dr. Fuhrman's website

Alterations: This is a good soup, but Tanner and I found it tastes a little like eating tomato sauce. So we put it on whole wheat or rice noodles and it tastes great! We substituted Mrs. Dash's Tomato Basil Garlic seasoning for the MatoZest and added walnuts instead of cashews because we didn't have any. We also added mushrooms after it had been blended and let them cook another ten minutes.

Black Bean Soup

• 2 (15 ounce) cans black beans, drained and rinsed
• 1 1/2 cups vegetable broth
• 1 cup chunky salsa
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 4 tablespoons sour cream
• 2 tablespoons thinly sliced green onion

1. In an electric food processor or blender, combine beans, broth, salsa, and cumin. Blend until fairly smooth.
2. Heat the bean mixture in a saucepan over medium heat until thoroughly heated.
3. Ladle soup into 4 individual bowls, and top each bowl with 1 tablespoon of the sour cream and 1/2 tablespoon green onion. 

 Alterations: We omit the sour cream and add two cups frozen corn or one can of drained corn. We also toast corn tortillas and toast them in the oven, cut them in strips/chips and eat with avocado salsa or dip in the soup.