January 4th, 2019 | 
Summary: We love making soups in the winter. They’re warm, hearty, and help us feel better on a cold evening, especially at the end of a long day. If you’re under the weather, a good soup can nourish you like nothing else on the planet. We recently discovered this black bean tortilla soup at a friend’s holiday party and were so wowed that we begged her for the recipe. She was delighted to share it, and so are we. The concoction only takes about 45 minutes to prepare, so it’s a great dish if you’re on the run.
|
We love making soups in the winter. They’re warm, hearty, and help us feel better on a cold evening, especially at the end of a long day. If you’re under the weather, a good soup can nourish you like nothing else on the planet. We recently discovered this black bean tortilla soup at a friend’s holiday party and were so wowed that we begged her for the recipe. She was delighted to share it, and so are we. The concoction only takes about 45 minutes to prepare, so it’s a great dish if you’re on the run.
SOUP INGREDIENTS
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 small red onion, chopped
3-4 cloves garlic, minced
4 cups vegetable broth
1 28-ounce can, stewed tomatoes (check label, make sure no chemicals are added).
2 teaspoons ancho chili powder
2 teaspoons chipotle chili powder
1 teaspoon ground cumin
½ teaspoon dried oregano
½ teaspoon sea salt (not iodized!)
2 cans black beans (or 3 cups boiled black beans, if you have time)
1 cup corn kernels (fresh or frozen)
GARNISHES
3 small corn tortillas
1 avocado, sliced
1 handful fresh cilantro, chopped
1 lime, cut into wedges
Pour 1 tablespoon olive oil into a large pan and add chopped onions and garlic. Fry on medium heat until onions and garlic are slightly brown. Your kitchen will smell terrific, and you’re just getting started! Add vegetable broth, stewed tomatoes, both chili powders, salt, and cumin. Simmer for 15-20 minutes until tomatoes are cooked through.
Add black beans and corn and continue simmering for 10 minutes until all ingredients are thoroughly combined. Meanwhile, cut tortillas into thin strips. Place strips in olive oil in a medium-sized frying pan (cast iron is great!) Fry strips on both sides until brown and crispy, then remove from pan. Place them on paper towel to absorb excess olive oil.
Serve soup in festive bowls with avocado slices, a squeeze or two of lime juice, a liberal dash of cilantro, and as many tortilla strips as your heart desires. We love tortilla strips and find that it’s hard to put too many into this soup. But eat fast, because they do get soggy.
Serves 4-6 hungry guests. This soup is especially good with vegan, gluten-free cornbread and/or beer. If you do end up with leftovers, you can freeze them, or devour them in the next couple of days. You will be utterly delighted by this simple, inexpensive, and satisfying meal. Stay warm and enjoy!
Previous Article « Three Delicious Vegan Wine and Beer Varieties For Your Winter Celebrations
Read Next Article » Potato and Vegan Sausage Soup: Hearty and Delightful
|
Summary: This colorful dish is so filling and flavorful, you won’t believe it’s both vegan and gluten-free! We last ate spaghetti squash a long time ago, so we’d forgotten how magically pasta-like it is. Topped with a hearty, amazing slaw made from red cabbage and black beans, then crowned with homemade salsa verde, this meal is truly a winner.
|
It’s both easy to make, and colorful! Just the zest we need for these chilly, late-autumn evenings.
INGREDIENTS FOR SLAW
1 cup purple cabbage, sliced into thin ribbons and then cut into 1-2-inch strips
½ can black beans, rinsed and drained
¼ cup chopped green onions
½ red bell pepper, diced
¼ cup fresh cilantro, chopped
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
½ teaspoon olive oil
Pinches of salt and pepper
SALSA VERDE INGREDIENTS
¾ cup fresh salsa (hot or mild to taste)
1 avocado, diced
1/3 cup fresh cilantro
1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
1-2 garlic cloves, roughly chopped
Slice medium-sized spaghetti squash in half (lengthwise) and coat inside with thin layer of olive oil. Sprinkle with salt and pepper and place squash halves upside down in medium-sized pan. Bake for 45-55 minutes at 400 degrees until pulp is soft. You should be able to insert a fork into it without difficulty.
Meanwhile, prepare the slaw in a large mixing bowl. You’ll be wowed by its beauty. After you have squeezed in the lime juice, set mixture aside to marinate.
Place avocado, salsa, garlic, cilantro and lime juice into blender or food processor and combine until your mixture is smooth and slightly frothy. Scoop the slaw into squash halves and fill to overflowing, then spoon a liberal dollop of salsa verde over the top. Finally, garnish your masterpiece with extra cilantro, salsa, toasted pepitas, or any other topping of your choice. Feel free to get creative!
This amazing creation serves 2-3 people, but feel free to double the recipe if you have more guests. Serve by itself (it’s filling!) or with wine, beer, cider and/or a side of gluten-free garlic bread. Of course, any leftovers will keep just fine in the refrigerator for several days. But they definitely won’t last that long.
Your friends will be begging you for the recipe, and you’ll want to make this meal again and again. With its vibrant, red and green hues, the dish is a great, festive lead-up to the holiday season.
Try it, we’re certain you’ll agree. Bon Appetit, and happy, stress-free holidays!
Previous Article « Warm Your Belly With Vegan Curried Butternut Squash Soup
Read Next Article » Roasted Sweet Potatoes and Red Peppers With Spicy Thai Peanut Sauce
|
Summary: We've been excited to get our hands on the Conscious Cleanse book ever since we heard about it. The cleanse isn't the kind you may be used to, where you feel deprived, and end up hungry and miserable. What it does do is take certain foods out of your diet that you may not even realize you are reacting to, so that you have a full picture as to how your body reacts to those foods.
Most Recent Searches that Led to This Page: sherpa spinach dip, conscious cleanse, conscious cleanse flaxseed crackers |
We’ve been excited to get our hands on the Conscious Cleanse book ever since we heard about it. The Conscious Cleanse isn’t the kind you may be used to, where you feel deprived, and end up hungry and miserable. What it does do is take certain foods out of your diet that you may not even realize you are reacting to, so that you have a full picture as to how your body reacts to those foods.
Forbidden foods on the list may surprise you, such as oranges, strawberries and tomatoes. Many people react to foods like these without even realizing it. The good news is that there are a ton of options on the foods that are allowed.
Before you start thinking that this is going to be a book that just tells you what you can and can’t eat, worry not – it is so much more than that. The Conscious Cleanse gives you a rounded way to take care of yourself in every way, body and mind. It is a commitment to build up to slow change, and includes ways to slowly remove foods and beverages from your diet, rather than shock your system.
Full disclosure, we were a little daunted at the thought of giving up caffeine while on the cleanse, but we transitioned slowly off of it. We were surprised at the difference we saw just from reducing caffeine: *more* energy, more calm, less stress and less stress eating.
Here is a recipe that is the perfect example of the delicious dishes that fit within the cleanse.
Sherpa Spinach Dip
4 cups spinach
1 large avocado, halved and pitted
1/2 tablespoon lemon juice
1 small clove minced garlic
1/4 teaspoon curry
1/4 teaspoon cumin
1/4 teaspoon fresh peeled and chopped ginger
A dash of cayenne
Sea salt to taste
Blend all ingredients in a food processor. Serve immediately with carrot sticks.
Get your own copy of the Conscious Cleanse, and let us know what you think!
Previous Article « Review of Kite Hill’s Vegan and Gluten Free White Alder Artisanal Cheese
Read Next Article » The Conscious Cleanse’s Vegan and Gluten Free Caesar Dressing