Healthy Vegan/Vegetarian Black Bean Soup

Black beans are a staple in my home. Whether it is a bowl of seasoned black beans with broccoli for breakfast, or a piping hot mug of black bean chili for dinner, black beans are here to stay. My favorite way to cook black beans is with a spoonful of feta and a sprig of cilantro. What can I say, I'm fairly boring. 

But not tonight. Tonight this lady is going to be fancy because black beans were on SALE last week. Okay, so I'm cheap too --oh god, that extra two cents toward saving for a house -- and so I bought 10 pounds of them.

Yes. Ten pounds. Don't worry, the house doesn't stink like poo. I used my stock pot with a LID to keep that stench in the pot...at least until I turn up the heat. When you eat enough beans, you stop tooting.

This is my recipe for chunky black bean soup. It is vegan, but you could switch it up by adding chicken or steak to it if you must. My mom always adds cheese to hers...

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The Recipe
Ingredients

• 5 cups black beans, already soaked overnight
• 2 bell peppers, diced
• 2 poblano pepper, charred, and diced
• 1 onion, diced
• 1 carrot diced
• enough vegetable broth to cover your beans
• 6 cloves garlic
• 3 tbsp cumin
• 3 tbsp chili powder
• 1 tsp coriander
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 1 tsp sea salt
• 1 tsp pepper
• 1 tsp paprika 

Instructions

1. In a bit of oil, saute the onion until soft.
2. Add all of the veggies. Cook for 5 minutes.
3. Add the seasoning. Coat all veggies with it. Cook a little longer.
4. Add the beans. Cover with vegetable broth -- enough to cover by at least an inch  or two. You can do half broth, half water if you want.
5. Bring to a boil. Reduce to a slow simmer. Cover and let it sit for a few hours.
6. Serve when the beans are smooshy.

I originally adapted this recipe from the book, "Bean by Bean" a cookbook dedicated to beans.