Sunday, December 8, 2013

Time For A Big Pot of Soup!

  The weather is turning, inevitably, to bluster. The skies and the weathermen are threatening us with the white stuff.  If you are getting ready for Christmas, then you are probably busy.

    This is the perfect time to make a big pot of soup to warm our bellies the first night and  then warm my heart in a few days when I can pull out the leftovers for a quick meal on a night when I am too busy to cook.

    I like to eat lightly in the weeks before Christmas, both because it is Advent and because I know that no matter how hard I try, a few pounds will show up on the scale come January 2nd!  A comforting vegetarian soup fills us up but doesn't feel decadent, like all the foods we will eat when the family descends.

    This may be my new favorite black bean recipe! It was quick and easy and the flavors are perfect to warm a cold wintery night.

                                  Black Bean Vegetable Stew

1 Tbs. olive or canola oil
1 large onion , chopped
1-3 cloves garlic, chopped
3 carrots, chopped
1 red pepper, chopped
1-2 tsp chili powder (to taste)
2 -3 tsp ground cumin
2 cans black beans (15 oz)
1 can kidney beans
1 can of Red Pack tomatoes (28 oz)
28 oz. vegetable stock or water
1 cup frozen corn
salt and pepper to taste
1 -2 cups chopped kale (optional)
fresh cilantro and sour cream for garnish



Saute the onions, carrots, red pepper and garlic in the oil for a few minutes on medium-high heat in a large Dutch oven or soup pot.  Add cumin and chili powder. Cook for one minute.  Blend the can of tomatoes and the drained can of kidney beans in the blender with the stock.  Add to the vegetable mixture.  Add the drained black beans and cook for 10 minutes.  Add corn and kale and cook for  another 4-5 minutes. Taste and season with salt and pepper if needed. Serve topped with a spoonful of sour cream or plain yogurt and fresh cilantro.  The leftovers freeze well.



I love this soup with corn bread and my favorite cornbread recipe is an oldie but a goodie from Mollie Katzen's Moosewood Cookbook (the original)

Mexican Corn and Cheese Bread

1 cup unbleached white flour
1 cup yellow corn meal
1 egg lightly beaten
2 Tbs. honey
3 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup milk
1/4 c olive oil
1/2 cup minced onion
1 cup frozen corn
1/2 c grated sharp cheddar cheese

Saute the onion in the olive oil.  Mix the flour, corn meal, baking powder, salt together in a small bowl. Beat the egg, milk and honey together. Combine the milk mixture and the flour mixture and mix until well blended. Add corn, sauteed onions and grated cheese.  Spread into a well buttered 8 inch square pan,  bake at 375 for 25 to 30 minutes or until top is firm and browned. Serve warm.  Freezes well!

Enjoy!

1 comment:

  1. Masz rację, teraz powinno się jeść skromniej, żeby po Świętach nie przybyło nam na wadze. Myślę, że zupa, którą opisujesz by mi smakowała, bo lubię wszystkie jej składniki . Chlebka podobnego nie jadłam, a z pewnością jest dobry. Pozdrawiam serdecznie.
    You're right, now you should eat more modestly, to after Christmas did not come to us on weight. I think the soup which tasted describe to me because I like all of its components. I did not eat like hotcakes, and certainly is good. Yours sincerely.

    ReplyDelete

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