Thursday, August 7, 2008

black bean soup

I ADORE black bean soup. Like I dream about it sometimes is how much I adore it. And the bee will take any kind of bean and eat them up no problem. Sometimes when I'm feeling lazy I'll open a can of garbanzo beans and throw them in a sauce pan with a little bit of olive oil and a LOT of cumin and some salt. Oh my goodness it is SO GOOD! Inspired by my favorite dish at my favorite restaurant In the spring, for like two seconds they have fresh garbanzo beans IN THE POD covered with cumin and fried and you have to suck the beans out of the pod. It was seriously one of the bees first foods. She ate a TON of them and that was a gross few days, okay TMI. ewwwwww geesh Okay back on topic


Okay back to the black bean soup. I'll be making Saturday, but I'm planning today. I've got some awesome friends coming into town tomorrow and I don't know what plans will be like for food tomorrow, so the soup for lunch on Saturday. I'll post pictures of it after I make it. Black bean soup is another of my favorite lazy meals. it is so so easy!

Oh but it is SUPER easy, and really good for you. Beans are full of fiber and protein and all sorts of stuff that makes your body happy. However beans aren't a full protein so you need to eat them with some sort of grain. Think rice and beans, or cornbread and beans or my awesome bread that I made today and beans. All good stuff. My black bean soup and a piece of cornbread maybe with a dollop of sour cream. Oh I'm so excited.

If you are concerned with gas or aren't used to eating beans an overnight soak will really help with this problem. However if you eat enough beans your body will adjust and you'll be able to process them better.

Black bean soup by me.

Soak 1 lb black beans overnight.
Discard soaking liquid
Cover beans with water, just enough to cover them.
Cook on a simmer for about three hours, until soft.
drain, reserving liquid
process 2/3 of the beans in a food processer or blender until well blended, adding some liquid back if necissary
Open a can of your favorite salsa and dump that in
maybe two if you want some added spice
adjust liquid with the bean liquor till it is how it looks good to you
top with some sour cream and chives or green onions

2 comments:

Michelle said...

I am making your black bean soup for dinner tonight. =) And some bread with my new breadmaker!!!!! Although I don't think you have to mix grains and beans at every meal to get a complete protein as long as you eat both sometime.

Anonymous said...

Yummy yummy! I think I have some black beans in the pantry...