Black Bean Soup

Hi Y'all.  Let me tell you... I love some black beans.  I even grew some on the garden a few years back and have already bought some new seed beans for this year.  This soup is actually made from canned black beans but you know it's not really a problem, with the proper equipment, to can them yourself in an afternoon.  Then you would have lots of jars to go to.  But they are pretty cheap in the grocery.  I prefer the organic kind and let me give you a tip... if you drain and rise the beans you will cut down on the flatulence dramatically.  If that's a problem for you.  I know when the word "beans" is brought up in certain circles, facial expressions can change in an instant.  That trick would probably work on any canned bean and it is well worth a try and the time and effort.  Here's a hearty and lovely winter time black bean soup recipe for you.  I don't have an end result picture as I got a little too excited and was hungry... both times I made it.  :)

Some ingredients are not pictured.  Like the garlic or the broth, or the carrots because I picked them out of the bag of frozen veggies that time.  I also added leftover chicken the the first batch.

The soup actually doesn't stay this color.  Once the black beans get cooked in good the soup gets darker.  I served ours with cheese quesadillas and another day with tortilla chips.  I froze the left overs to have for lunch.  Also you can use vegetable broth instead of chicken broth for a more vegan approach.  

Here are a few other black bean dishes I've shared in the past.

Black Beans and Rice

Black Bean Delish Side Dish

Canning Dried Beans

Cowgirl Veggie Burritos

black beans and rice

I have been asked by my doctor to cut back my meat intake from three times a day to two or three times a week.  after i got up off the floor from shock (jk) I asked if he was truly serious.  then, he said to cut out pork all together!  my look of terror eeked "but doc! we have two hogs we raised that go to the slaughter house this week!" being a vegan himself, he had no sympathy.  ugh!  all that work.  I will say the sausage is divine.  I cannot cut it out altogether.  I've always been a carnivore/herbivore mix, for crying out loud.  he suggested that I replace meat with other proteins such as beans, lentils, etc. and brown rice.  so I have been doing my best.  I have changed my breakfast and lunch and most of the time supper too.  here's what I have made at the dc for lunch that goes along with a nice spring salad with carrots, tomato and whole grain toast.

it's pretty simple.  for me it took a day to get used to the idea.  i made one recipe for this out of a cook book and it didn't turn out near as good as this one.  i will say that i used tomatoes and okra that i had canned together from our garden.  i do feel sure there is something comparable within the canned tomatoes at the grocery.  you could just experiment with different varieties and see what you like best.  also, i used instant brown rice for this recipe.  since, i have made it again and used the bagged kind which turns out a little stickier than the instant but the flavor is better.  have fun!

Feeding My Soul

Sometimes I don't even think we realize what is missing.  It might be something we enjoyed doing years and years ago that was simply put aside or an activity, like mine, that takes up so much time only certain times of the year.  On Saturday I tapped in to the canning part of my soul and realized just how much I miss it and how much of a part of my soul it has become.  It may sound odd if you have never canned food that you spent time with.  From seeds saved or bought, I planted it and watched it grow, worrying at times if there was enough water or not enough fertilizer.  Then took time to do something with it.  Saving for winter by learning the art of putting by, putting up and savoring flavors of summer.

Last year I grew black beans for the first time.  In my mind, I judge the quality of a Mexican restaurant by if they serve black beans as a side dish.  Not many do.  The experience of growing the beans was very satisfying and we wound up harvesting about... well more than a my largest Mason jar full from five plants.  I loved sitting on our porch on hot summer nights shelling beans.  There is just something about shelling beans and breaking beans that is very therapeutic.  Sometimes I will take them to summertime family gatherings to have help.  Plus I have a sister who loves breaking green beans.

I have gone through the whole process of letting the dried beans soak overnight or trying the quick soak method.  I've let them cook in the crock pot for hours at a time and don't mind that process if I know what's for supper tomorrow night and think that far ahead.  It wasn't until I read The Barefoot Farmer, as seen in a previous post, that it hit me and I could not wait until the weekend.  I had something else to do with my dried beans.  He said that they take their dried beans, fill a hot jar only half full of beans and the rest of the way with boiling water and a tad of salt if you wish.  Then process them at 10 pounds pressure in your pressure canner for 40 minutes.  That's it.  Easy as breaking beans and at the same time so extremely therapeutic to my canning soul.  The pride of what I made came rushing back in when those jars came out of the canner.  So beautiful and the next time we are having tacos or burritos for supper, all I have to do is open up a jar of summertime black beans and they are ready to heat up and season. 

I was so amazed at how the beans expanded.  Just like I had let them soak all night long and cook after that.  They may still have to cook for a bit when the jars are opened.  That is yet to be seen.  We are still eating left overs from my other suppers from over the weekend.  Canning just feeds my soul.  The fact that I can make something myself and put it away for several suppers to come and not have to worry about picking it up at the store just tickles me. 

 I couldn't even wait to to take a picture.  I should have wiped the jars off first!

 I also canned three parsnips and one big turnip that my boss had given me while the pressure cooker was out.  Might as well!