Soup Recipe #2

Yes, it's true I'm posting another recipe for "soup for dinner and lunch". This one is a delicious and slightly spicy black bean soup. The recipe comes from epicurious.com, one of my favorite go-to recipe websites. The recipes come from a variety of sources, and all have ratings and comments, so you can know what to expect, and see changes that other people suggest to make the recipes even better. Epicurious is awesome!

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• This soup is what I'd call a convenience soup, meaning it's made with canned beans and tomatoes. I use canned beans on a fairly regular basis since they are so much quicker than cooking dried beans, and allow for a lot of spontaneity and last minute dinner planning. Flavor-wise, they are no substitute- beans cooked from dried have such a nicer texture and flavor, and in general are much lower in sodium. However, when I'm in a hurry and need a high-protein soup, canned beans work just fine. This recipe calls for using the beans undrained, but in general I rinse beans before I use them to reduce the amount of sodium. I'd also suggest using canned foods that are in PBA-free cans if you can find them. Even though cans are made of metal, most of them have linings on the interior that contain BPA, a chemical that has been found to increase the risk of chromosomal and reproductive system abnormalities, impaired brain and neurological functions, cancer, cardiovascular system damage, adult-onset diabetes, early puberty, obesity and resistance to chemotherapy. This info comes from a good article about the basics of why it is best to avoid BPA. The FDA also has a fairly decent write up about it on their website.

Anyhow, I hope you enjoy this soup! It's a good winter warmer and goes nicely with a crisp salad. 

• Black Bean Soup with Cumin and Jalapeño
• Bon Appétit  | August 2004
  
  
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 onion, chopped
• 1 carrot, chopped
• 4 garlic cloves, chopped
• 2 teaspoons ground cumin
• 1 to 2 teaspoons chopped jalapeño chile with seeds, divided
• 2 15- to 16-ounce cans black beans, undrained
• 1 15-ounce can petite diced tomatoes in juice
• 1 1/2 cups low-salt chicken broth
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• Chopped fresh cilantro
• Chopped green onions
• Crumbled feta cheese

Heat oil in heavy large pot over medium-high heat. Add onion, carrot, and garlic; sauté until vegetables begin to soften, about 6 minutes. Mix in cumin and 1 teaspoon jalapeño. Add beans, tomatoes with juice, and broth; bring soup to boil. Reduce heat to medium, cover, and cook until carrots are tender, about 15 minutes. Transfer 3 cups of soup to blender and puree until smooth. Return puree to pot. Simmer soup until slightly thickened, about 15 minutes. Season to taste with salt, pepper, and remaining 1 teaspoon jalapeño, if desired.

Ladle soup into bowls. Pass cilantro, green onions, and feta cheese separately