Vegan Black Bean Soup

I tried a new recipe tonight and added my own twist on it. I was a little worried at first because right out of the blender, it didn't taste good. I thought it would be one of our "If this turns out badly, we are going out to eat" nights. It turned out pretty well. Here is the recipe. Definitely make changes to how you like things. You could even add chicken to this if you wanted to.

2 cans black beans, drained and rinsed *if you don't do this step, you may want your spouse to be in another room the rest of the night
1 cup salsa (any kind you like, I used Newman's Own)
1 can (or two cups) vegetable broth
1 tsp ground cumin, to your liking
1/4 tsp chili powder
1 tbsp chopped cilantro (I used fresh and I eyeballed it)

1/4 cup onion, chopped
olive oil
1 can black beans, once again drained and rinsed
1 can corn, or a cup frozen corn
1 4oz can of chopped green chili peppers
salt & pepper to taste

Combine the first six ingredients in a blender or food processor. Blend until somewhat smooth. I'll let you determine what consistency you want it. While blending, saute the onions in a little olive oil. To the onions, add the remaining can of black beans, the corn, 1/2 the can of chili peppers or if you are brave and can stand a little more spice, use the whole can. Also add in the mixture from the blender. Stir together, adding salt and pepper to your preferences. I covered and cooked this for about an hour to blend the flavors. It does not need an hour so if you want it faster, cook it for less time.

I also took this recipe as an opportunity to clean out my fridge. I added half a chopped tomato to the blender because I did not have enough salsa. So add anything you want!

I did serve this with a dollop of sour cream and corn chip on the side, which would no longer qualify this as a vegan recipe I suppose. But make of it what you wish. Give it a try. This recipe is full of protein and fiber and is incredibly filling.

Calories		208.5
Total Fat		1.2 g
	Saturated Fat	0.1 g
	Polyunsaturated Fat	0.2 g
	Monounsaturated Fat	0.2 g
Cholesterol		0.0 mg
Sodium		1,250.5 mg
Potassium		88.2 mg
Total Carbohydrate		45.5 g
	Dietary Fiber	11.2 g
	Sugars	3.5 g
Protein		11.6 g