Tag Archives: tomatoes

Black Bean Soup Like You Mean It

Posted on
5

So there are some black bean soups that are good. There are others that are bad. Really, really bad. Well, maybe “bad” is more a matter of opinion, but bad in terms of being so spicy, thick, or gloopy [or all of the above] that the soup, if you can even call it that, is basically an inedible paste of nastyness. Mmm. Appetizing to ponder on a Friday, huh? Yeahhh. Well good news here, folks!

This isn’t just any old black bean soup. This is Black Bean Soup Like You Mean It.

And boy… do I mean it.

Thick–but not too pasty. Eww, pasty. Chunky–but with a good mix of broth and texture. Spicy–but not run gasping to the fridge for milk out of control spicy. Full of veggies like onion and tomatoes and even spinach [hello spinach... you hid from Ben until his bowl was gone and then when I told him about you he was unaware... like, completely]–but yes, not too full of veggies that you forget it’s black bean soup. The black beans are still there, and serve as the perfect backdrop to a rich, garlic-y flavor to contrast with the spice. Finish each bowl off with a squeeze of lime juice and you have yourself a wonderful winner of a soup that is absolutely perfect in every way.

Perfect. And not too perfect. Wait… is there even such a thing? If this is any indication, Ben and I polished off the entire pot of this in one night, during an episode of Mad Men. Normally we’re all about the leftovers here for lunches, but this time there was no chance of leftovers. Not a one. So I guess it’s imperfection is that there was not enough. Be forewarned–next time this is on our menu, it will be in double batch form. Cause this is slurp-worthy delicious!

Happy Friday!

Black Bean Soup Like You Mean It [from You Can Trust a Skinny Cook by Allison Fishman]
click to print

Ingredients:

  • 2 tablespoons canola oil
  • 1 cup onion, chopped
  • 4 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons cumin
  • 1 teaspoon chili powder
  • 3 1/2 cups black beans, rinsed and drained [from scratch or from 2 - 15 1/2 ounce cans], divided
  • 2 cups chicken broth, divided
  • 2 cups baby spinach, tightly packed
  • 10 ounce can diced tomatoes with green chilis
  • cilantro, for serving
  • lime wedges, for serving

Directions:

In a medium pot or dutch oven, heat the oil over medium heat. Add onion and cook for 3-4 minutes or until soft, stirring frequently. Add garlic and cook for a minute more until fragrant. Stir in cumin and chili powder and cook for another 30 seconds. Meanwhile, stir in 2 1/2 cups of black beans and 1 cup chicken broth. In a food processor, puree remaining 1 cup black beans, 1 cup chicken broth, and spinach until smooth. Pour into the soup pot, then add tomatoes and stir well. Bring to a boil and then reduce heat to a simmer, cooking for an additional 5 minutes. Serve garnished with cilantro and a squeeze of lime juice.

Time: 25 minutes.

Yield: 4 servings.

Spicy Sausage, Chicken, and Bean Stew

Posted on
4

Sometimes Ben has gets to eat tofu. [Dinner tonight!! Yum.] I am very fortunate that he is such a willing eater. Ben will try just about anything once. But of course, being the good wife that I am, I don’t want to take [too much] advantage of his easygoing nature. And in order to reward him, sometimes I make man meals. You know what I’m talking about… the kind of dinners most ladies would never request but will eat once in awhile to make a special someone happy. Those sort of meals. Mhmmm. Not exactly a special Valentine’s dinner, but definitely a “love your guy” kind of dinner.

One of the latest in our world is this hearty, meaty, thick stew. Spicy Sausage, Chicken, and Bean Stew has tons of meatyness thanks to hot Italian sausage and flavorful chicken thighs [use boneless, skinless chicken thighs to make it easier and to cut down on the fat], but still plenty of healthy stuff like celery, carrots, tomatoes, and potatoes to make me happy, as well as a plethora of herbs to add depth of flavor. Though I made this dish with Ben in mind, I was surprised at how much I enjoyed it too. Don’t worry about the spicy factor either–this is one dish that did not “spice me out!” If you want a spicier stew, I would up the cayenne pepper or add a little hot sauce. This stew makes a ton so be prepared for a few days of leftovers. It also freezes well!

Spicy Sausage, Chicken, and Bean Stew [adapted from Rachael Ray's just in time!]
click to print

Ingredients:

  • 12 ounces ground hot Italian sausage
  • 1 pound boneless skinless chicken thighs, cut into chunks
  • freshly ground black pepper
  • 4 celery ribs, diced
  • 3 medium white potatoes, peeled and chopped into 1-2 inch pieces
  • 2 medium carrots, scrubbed and shredded
  • 1/2 large red onion, diced
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 1 cup dry white wine
  • 15 ounces chicken broth
  • 28 ounces crushed tomatoes
  • 15 ounces cannellini beans, rinsed and drained
  • 1 teaspoon dried thyme
  • 1 teaspoon dried sage
  • 1 teaspoon dried parsley
  • pinch cayenne pepper

Directions:

Heat a large stockpot over medium heat, add Italian sausage and begin to cook, crumbling into large pieces. When fat starts to render, after about 2 minutes, add chicken and stir to incorporate. Season to taste with black pepper. Cook the chicken on each side for about 2-3 minutes until it starts to brown. When chicken is fully cooked, add celery, potatoes, carrots, onion and bay leaf. Cook for another 7-8 minutes to soften the veggies. Then pour in the wine and stir to deglaze the pan. Lastly, stir in broth, tomatoes, beans, thyme, sage, parsley, and cayenne pepper. Cover and bring to a boil, then cook for 10-15 minutes, remove bay leaf and serve.

Time: 40 minutes.

Yield: 8 servings.

Lime Chicken Rice Bake

Posted on
5

Maybe it’s because I’m from Indiana, maybe it’s because I’m sorta lazy and am not always the biggest fan of making a main dish and several sides to complete a meal, but the truth is… I’m a big fan of casseroles and other one-dish meals. Not the kind with random cream-of …. soups or mystery meat or canned vegetables drowning in salt water. But the kind with fresh ingredients and tons of flavor from herbs and spices. Like this Lime Chicken Rice Bake that I created on a whim one night when I was trying to use up some leftover rice and black beans.

The punch of flavor in this dish comes from limes and chipotle peppers in adobe sauce, which I keep in a small container in my freezer. An unexpected ingredient–pumpkin–gives this dish a bit of creaminess without adding tons of fat and calories. We enjoyed this for dinner several times on it’s own and also remade into nachos another night. Any way you serve it, Lime Chicken Rice Bake is a warm, comforting dish that is healthy, sure to please, and will certainly make you rethink your opinion of casseroles for good!

Lime Chicken Rice Bake
click to print

Ingredients:

  • 2 cups cooked brown rice
  • 1 3/4 cup black beans/15 ounce can, rinsed and drained
  • 15 ounce can diced tomatoes, rinsed and drained
  • 1 1/2 cups pumpkin puree
  • 1 1/2 cups shredded chicken
  • 1/2 cup frozen corn
  • 1 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese, divided
  • 2 chipotle peppers in adobe sauce, chopped and 1-2 tablespoon adobe sauce
  • 1 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon oregano
  • 2 tablespoons lime juice
  • 1/2 cup skim milk
  • 1 tablespoon lime balm, chopped [or zest of 1 lime]

Directions:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Spray a 9×13 casserole dish with cooking spay. In a large bowl, stir together rice, beans, tomatoes, pumpkin, chicken, corn, and 1/2 cup cheese. In a smaller bowl, whisk together chipotle peppers and adobe sauce, garlic, oregano, lime juice, milk, and lime balm/zest. Stir this mixture into the rice mixture then spread into casserole dish. Bake for 20 minutes or until hot. Then remove from oven and top with last 1/2 cup of cheese. Return to oven and cook for 3-5 minutes until cheese is melted.

Time: 35 minutes [10 minutes active].

Yield: 8 servings.

Lasagna Soup

Posted on
3

This soup was really good. Really, really, really good. Like, so good that I was [kinda-sorta-maybe] glad that Ben liked it, but [kinda-sorta-maybe... most definitely] hoping that he didn’t like it enough to eat the leftovers. And if that situation happened to arise, well, then I would be happy to slurp up each and every drop of Lasagna Soup because, as I said, it was just so good. Except I wouldn’t be slurping it, because that’s not very ladylike, now is it?

This Lasagna Soup is flavorful, filling, and the most perfect way to fulfill those healthy New Years resolutions while still indulging in your cheeeesy cravings too. Pantry staples–a boatload of herbs, tomatoes, and broth, combined with fresh spinach, browned ground beef, and a handful of leftover macaroni and cheese come together in a fantabulous way.

It is a welcome change from the rich, sweet treats of the holiday season, and is simple enough for a weeknight. Enjoy–even if you do have to share!

Lasagna Soup [inspired by A Veggie Venture]
printable version

Ingredients:

  • 1 pound ground beef
  • olive oil or a bit of reserved grease
  • 1 large onion, diced
  • 5 cloves garlic, minced
  • 28 ounces diced tomatoes, rinsed
  • 28 ounces crushed tomatoes
  • 8 cups chicken broth
  • 4 tablespoons pesto
  • 2 teaspoons dried parsley
  • 1 teaspoon marjoram
  • 1 teaspoon oregano
  • 1/2 teaspoon red chili flakes
  • freshly ground black pepper
  • 1 1/2 cups leftover white macaroni and cheese [or 1 1/2 cups cooked pasta plus 1/2 cup mozzarella cheese]
  • 4 cups loosely packed spinach, torn
  • parmesan cheese, for serving

Directions:

In a large stockpot, brown ground beef. Drain and set aside. Using a small amount of the hamburger grease, cook onions for about 5 minutes or until soft. Add garlic and cook for another minute, until fragrant. Return beef to pan, then add tomatoes, broth, pesto, parsley, marjoram, oregano, red chili flakes, and pepper. Stir to mix everything together and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low and simmer, partially covered, for 20 minutes. Stir in pasta and simmer for an additional 4-5 minutes, then add spinach and simmer until wilted, another 1-2 minutes. Serve with a sprinkling of parmesan cheese.

Time: 45 minutes [25 minutes active].

Yield: 10 servings.

Turkey, Black Bean, and Sweet Potato Chili

Posted on
5

So, it’s winter. It isn’t calendar official yet, but there’s snow on the ground so that makes it winter in my book. While I can’t say that I am the biggest fan of that cold season, I do love warming up with some hearty chili.

bowl of black bean & sweet potato chili

I recently tried this hearty chili when we had company, and it was a huge hit. I’m not a fan of thin soups and this chili is anything but. Each bite is chock-full of spicy ground turkey, black beans, sweet potatoes, and lots of other flavorful veggies.

Don’t get me wrong–regular chili is good too, but this amped-up chili has tons of healthy additions that make it even better. The original recipe was vegetarian, but to satisfy a certain man in my life, I added ground turkey. I also added some extra vegetables, like zucchini, to use up the contents of my fridge. The zucchini wasn’t too noticeable so you could probably leave that out without missing it. I wasn’t sure initially how well potatoes, even my beloved sweet potatoes, would work in chili but I am happy to report that they are great, blending in naturally so even sweet potato haters [Benjamin] don’t object too loudly. :) The leftovers are fantastic served out of the fridge for a few days and also freeze nicely for lunches during the work week. Hope you enjoy!

Turkey, Black Bean, and Sweet Potato Chili [adapted from goodLife(eats)]
printable version

Ingredients:

  • 1 pound ground turkey
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 1/2 cups chopped onions
  • 6 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 bell pepper, diced
  • 1 medium zucchini, chopped [I just washed it really well and didn't bother peeling it.]
  • 2 1/2 teaspoons cumin
  • 2 tablespoons chili powder
  • 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
  • 1 teaspoon dried oregano
  • 28 ounces crushed tomatoes
  • 28 ounces petite diced tomatoes
  • 2 large carrots, diced [I just washed it really well and didn't bother peeling it.]
  • 3 cups diced sweet potatoes
  • 15 ounce can Great Northern beans, rinsed and drained
  • 4 cups cooked black beans [Mine were dried + cooked, but you could sub 30 ounces canned.]
  • 1 cup salsa
  • 2 cups vegetable or chicken broth, divided
  • 2 teaspoons cornstarch
  • Jack cheese, for serving
  • Cilantro, for serving
  • Sour Cream, for serving

Directions:

In a skillet, brown ground turkey until fully cooked. Drain grease and set aside.

Meanwhile, heat the olive oil in a large stock pot over medium-high heat. Add onion and saute for a few minutes, until tender. Add the garlic, pepper, and zucchini and saute for a couple more minutes, until fragrant. Add cumin, chili powder, black pepper, and oregano and stir well, cooking for another minute or so.

Reduce heat to medium-low. Next, stir in ground turkey, tomatoes, carrot, sweet potatoes, beans, and salsa. Reserve 1/4 cup broth, but add the rest to the stock pot.

In a small measuring cup, whisk together reserved broth and cornstarch. Mix until smooth, then pour into pot. Stir until combined, then cover and bring to a boil. Boil for 2 minutes then uncover and reduce heat to low, simmering for 60 minutes. Cover and simmer with lid for an additional 30 minutes. Taste and adjust seasonings if necessary. Serve with cheese, cilantro, and sour cream as desired.

Time: 2 hours [30 minutes active].

Yield: a lot of chili. At least 10-12 generous servings.