Every Day In April

I love black beans.

Well, I love food in general, but I LOVE me some black beans. I love black beans in quesadillas, I love black beans in salad, I even love black beans in my pot-pies. Well, let’s just be honest, If you can put a black bean in it, I assure you I love it. Even soup.

Our chilly “soup days” are few and far between here in Hawaii and you can’t really plan on tomorrow being the perfect soup weather to prepare your soup. Some of the best soups I’ve had are a 2 day process and as a busy mom I don’t have that kind of time. So, I have done some research to come up with the best Black Bean Soup I can make on a whim. I believe I have a GREAT solution and a good competitor against even the best black bean soup out there… Yes, I am talking to you “Thank God It’s Friday” people…

I am highly impressed with my last-minute soup and it has become a staple for those few and far between rainy days at my home. I hope you can give it a try!

April’s Black Bean Soup

Ingredients:

2 tablespoons butter (for vegan friendly recipe, use vegetable oil)
1 cup diced white onion
1 cup diced celery
3/4 cup diced carrot
1/2 cup diced green bell pepper
3 tablespoons minced garlic
5 15-ounce cans black beans
5 cups of chicken broth (for a vegan friendly recipe, use veggie broth)
3 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
2½ teaspoons Chili powder
¾ teaspoon cayenne pepper
¾ teaspoon cumin
¾ teaspoon salt
Concentrated hickory liquid smoke {to taste}
(I add about 2 teaspoons of the liquid smoke before I boil, then add more to taste before ready to serve)

Garnish:
*Shredded Cheddar, Monterey Jack or “Mexican blend” cheese. {omit if making vegan, duh}
*Chopped Green Onions
*Homemade Fried tortilla strips* or crumbled store-bought tortilla chips

1. Heat butter or oil in large sauce/soup pot over medium/low heat. Add onion, celery, carrot, bell pepper, and garlic to your butter or oil and simmer slowly for 15 minutes or until the vegetables start to “sweat” and onions are practically clear. Don’t brown! Keep the heat low.
2. Meanwhile, pour canned beans into strainer and rinse them under cold water. Measure 4 cups of the drained beans into a food processor with 1½ cups of chicken (or veggie) broth. Puree on high-speed until smooth.
3. When veggies are ready, pour the pureed beans in. Add the remaining whole beans, the rest of the broth, and every other ingredient in the list above (down to the liquid smoke), to the pot. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer uncovered for 1 hour stirring occasionally. I’ve allowed my soup to sit on low simmer for 2+ hours! Add more liquid smoke, if needed, to taste.
4. While your soup is simmering, prepare your garnish. Chop up green onions. Crumble up your tortilla chips OR *If you are making your own crispy tortilla strips you will need to pour about a fingers width of oil in a pan, heat up on med/high heat. While your oil is getting hot, cut up your tortilla’s {I use plain flour tortilla’s but you can use corn or whole wheat too} into long skinny strips, and then half them so they are small. Once your oil is hot, sprinkle in your cut up tortilla strips and fry them for about 30-45 seconds or until brown and crispy. Lay them on a plate with a paper towel to drain some of the oil.

                  TIP: I recommend growing your own green onions, it’s so easy to do and you don’t need to have a “garden” to do it! I’ll make it easy for you, buy some local, organic green onions with some roots still on the bottom. When you get home, or after you cut and use what you want, place them in a cup of water and leave them on the counter or in the window sill. You will see within days that they are shooting out new onions from where you cut them. You can then plant them nearby or leave them in the cup of water. Saving you time and money for your next Green Onion need!

5. Serve soup topped with cheese {again, omit cheese for vegan friendly}, green onions and crispy tortilla strips {or crumbs}. Not Vegan? – You could also add a tablespoon of sour cream or plain Greek yogurt!
6. Enjoy your black bean soup!!

HAPPY SOUPING!

Tags: beans, black bean, black bean soup, cheese, fried tortillas, green onions, grow your own, hawaii soup, hickory, it's cold outside, rainy day soup, soup, soup when its cold, TGIF Black bean soup, vegan, vegitarian