Black Bean Soup

 I don't know about you, but after indulging in lots of wonderful holiday food, I was ready for a change, so I made this Black Bean Soup.  I posted this recipe at the end of August, in a post I called, "Surviving September".  It is a very simple recipe, which I especially appreciate, and there are many ways you can vary it.  For example, you can add extra ingredients:  corn (frozen or canned), jalapeno peppers, hot sauce, red peppers, etc.  Also, you can cook this on the stove and have it ready to eat in about 30 minutes or in the slow cooker, if you have more time.

 You can see that the ingredients are really simple:  2 cans black beans, drained; 2 cans diced tomatoes; 1 litre chicken stock; one onion, chopped; two cloves garlic, minced; 1 can or 1 cup corn (optional); 1 tsp. cumin; 2 tsp. chili powder.

 After rinsing and draining the beans, everything goes into the slow cooker.  It can be cooked on high for 4-6 hours or low for 8-10 hours.  The first time I made this, I started at 2pm, turning the slow cooker on to high.  It was great to see it ready for supper at 6!

As mentioned above, you can also do this on the stove:  I sauteed the onions and garlic with 2 tsp. olive oil, until lightly browned.  I then added the spices, chicken stock, tomatoes, and rinsed and drained beans.  I brought this to a boil; simmered for 20 minutes; adjusted the seasonings (adding salt and pepper); and pureed the soup.

 You can taste and adjust seasonings

Depending on what your preference is, you can use a hand blender to puree some or all of the soup.  How chunky do you want it?  If you don't have a hand blender, you can even you a potato masher to mash the tomatoes and beans.  Or you can just leave it - whatever you like.

 You can serve the soup completely on its own or with toppings.  I used crushed Fresh is Best Tortilla chips, cheddar cheese, sour cream, and green onions.