"She is like the merchant ships,
bringing her food from afar.
She gets up while it is still night;
she provides food for her family
and portions for her female servants."
bringing her food from afar.
She gets up while it is still night;
she provides food for her family
and portions for her female servants."
My children may argue that they are the servants :-). Though most of the items at the market are not from far off, it does take some effort to go out of the way each week, but it is well worth it.
While I love to cook, I don't like to be pinned down to an exact recipe, simply because I like to work with what is on hand. If you do not have these exact ingredients, don't fret, just allow this to give you a little inspiration and make your tummy rumble...
This is where I began:
12 oz. pk. of dried Black Beans (soak overnight) ~ or begin with 3 16oz cans of black beans, rinsed
1 can of Rotel tomatoes
1 cup of brown rice
4 carrots
2 celery ribs
1 onion
1 red pepper
5 garlic cloves
1 tbsp. of extra virgin olive oil
1 tbsp. of extra virgin olive oil
4 green onions
1 tsp. coarse sea salt
2 shakes of black pepper
1/4 tsp. red pepper flakes
2/3 tsp. cumin
2 tbsp. tomato paste
1/4 cup fresh oregano or 1 tsp. dried
2 tbsp. tomato paste
1/4 cup fresh oregano or 1 tsp. dried
You will add water to this recipe as you go along
If you have never used dried beans before, know that black beans are one of the more hard beans when they are dried. They need to be soaked overnight. In the morning, drain and rinse them thoroughly. Then put them in a stock pot with enough water to cover them about 2 inches deep in the pot. Place a lid on it, bring it to a boil, and then allow it to simmer for at least 1 1/2 hours. This can also be done in a crock pot, beginning on high until it is boiling, and then reduce to low for at least 2 hours.
*** Know that this recipe will work easily with 3 16oz cans of black beans, drained and rinsed. The dried beans are more economical, and have no added sodium, but feel free to do what works for you.
This recipe does not use premade vegetable stock, so we are going to make some of our own. Begin by chopping the onions, carrots, celery and red pepper.
Now we are going to do the "hidden veggie" thing...
Do you have a Ninja
?
This is my kitchen workhorse! I use it to make smoothies, puree veggies for soup, or to hide ingredients that unsuspecting eyes may pick out if it were staring at them in the face.
?
This is my kitchen workhorse! I use it to make smoothies, puree veggies for soup, or to hide ingredients that unsuspecting eyes may pick out if it were staring at them in the face. 
I really like this particular model
because in addition to the 72oz pitcher, it has the single serve blenders work well for making on-the-go smoothies, as well as the processer bowl and blade set, which is perfect for making salsa in! The instructions say that the processor bowl can be used to make dough as well (can you say pizza night?)
Ok, where was I? Right, first put the fresh oregano in (if you have dried, you may add it directly to the pot of beans). Pour the sautéed vegetables into the Ninja and puree until there are no visible chunks.
Before you add the veggies, go ahead and add the Rotel tomatoes and the sea salt. If you have begun with canned beans, you may want to scale back on the salt, as there will be some in the beans already.
Add the veggies and as much water as you need to make the soup stir easily and to your desired thickness. Simmer on medium low.
Now on to the brown rice...
Brown rice is becoming a regular household item, but I find some folks are still having difficulty cooking it. I have been using this Martha Stewart method for the last few years and it comes out great. The key is to leave the lid on (no peaking!) and just allow it to do it's thing. While your black bean soup is simmering, go ahead and cook up 1 cup (dry) brown rice, and when it is done, the soup should be perfect as well.
This is what you should have when it is all done... yummy goodness..
I added the rice directly into the soup and turned the heat off.
You may choose to keep your brown rice separate.
You can chop the green onions, adding the white/core section of the onions directly to the soup and using the green tops to garnish.
I added a spoonful of plain Greek yogurt to compliment the spicy heat and to add some protein to this flavorful rendition of Black Bean Soup. The crushed red pepper steps things up a notch and makes this a festive bowl-full.
Beans and brown rice are both great sources of fiber and when they are combined, they give you a great complimentary source of protein. Eating whole foods is the way to go!
"I love you once, I love you twice, I love you more than beans and rice"
Recipe By Tasha Brickhouse
