Black Bean Vegetable Soup

I got this recipe from Jenny Corry who got it from a friend of hers who specialized in vegan recipes. It is definitely one of our favorites, although there is always a debate whether to seed or not to seed the jalapeno.

Also, I've included a delicious black bean recipe. The soup is still good with canned beans, but what makes it great is using beans you cooked on your own.

Black Beans

1 lb. dried black beans, rinsed

6 cups water

2 bay leaves

Pinch of baking soda

I also add a bunch of spices, usually cumin, salt, pepper and anything else I feel like adding.

Another tip is to include about an inch of kombu seaweed. I know it sounds weird, but it helps with the digestibility of the beans. Same idea as the baking soda.

I cook these in a crock-pot for 6-8 hours. You could do the same with a large pot on the stove…cook on low-medium heat. Cook until the beans have soaked up all the water.

ingredients

1 recipe of Black Beans

3 Tbsp olive oil

2 small onions or 1 large onion, diced finely

4 cloves garlic, minced

1 green bell pepper, seeded and diced finely

1 jalapeno, seeded and minced (or not seeded depending on your spice preference)

1 stalk celery, diced finely

1 carrot, peeled and diced finely

1 ½ tsp ground cumin

2 tsp dried oregano

1 tsp dried thyme

1 Tbsp white wine vinegar or sherry vinegar

2 tsp salt, or to taste

Freshly ground black pepper

3-4 cups vegetable stock

for serving

lime wedges

chopped avocado

fresh cilantro

tortilla chips

Greek yogurt

directions

Place black beans in very large stockpot.

To prepare vegetables:

Preheat a large heavy-bottomed skillet over medium heat. Sauté the garlic in the oil until the garlic begins to sizzle, stir for 30 seconds, and add the onions and bell pepper. Stir and cook for 12 to 15 minutes, until the onions and peppers are very soft, then add the jalapeno, celery, and carrot. Cook for another 10 minutes, until the carrot has begun to soften, then remove from the heat.

Add the vegetables to your cooked beans in the large stockpot. Stir in any remaining oil, plus the cumin, oregano, thyme, and vegetable stock. Cover the pot, raise the heat to high and bring to a boil. Lower the heat to medium-low, partially cover the pot, and simmer for 35-40 minutes, until the carrots and celery are tender.

Remove from the heat, allow to cool 10 minutes, add the vinegar, and season to taste with salt and pepper. Like most soups, this soup will be richer and more flavorful the next day.

Garnish each serving of soup with chopped cilantro and chopped avocados. Serve with lime wedges.

-Recipe from Veganomicon by Moskowitz & Romero