Black Bean and Vegetable Soup

Ingredients

• 4 cloves garlic
• 1 medium onion
• 2 medium carrots
• 2 medium celery stalks
• 1 medium apple
• 2 (15-oz) cans black beans, no salt added
• 1 (14 ½-oz) can crushed tomatoes, no salt added
• 1 Tablespoon canola oil
• 2 Tablespoons chili powder
• 4 teaspoons ground cumin
• 4 cups low-sodium vegetable broth
• 1 (8 ¾-oz) can whole kernel corn or 1 cup thawed frozen corn
• 1 teaspoon salt
• ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper

Optional Ingredients

• 1/3 cup fresh cilantro leaves

Materials

• Can opener
• Colander
• Cutting board
• Fork
• Large pot
• Measuring cups
• Measuring spoons
• Medium bowl
• Mixing spoon
• Sharp knife
• Vegetable peeler

Instructions

1. Peel and mince garlic. Peel and chop onion.
2. Rinse carrots, celery, and apple. Peel and chop carrots. Chop celery and apple.
3. If using, rinse and mince cilantro.
4. Using a colander, rinse and drain black beans. In a medium bowl, add half the black beans, reserving the rest for later. Add tomatoes to the bowl. Mash together with a fork.
5. In a large pot over medium heat, heat oil. Add garlic, onion, carrots, and celery. Cook, stirring occasionally, until onion is softened, about 5 minutes. Add chili powder and cumin. Cook, stirring, for 1 minute. Add chopped apple, mashed bean and tomato mixture, remaining beans, broth, and corn. Bring to boil. Reduce heat and simmer until vegetables are tender, 10-15 minutes more. Stir in salt and pepper. If using, stir in cilantro now.

Chef’s Notes

• Leftover soup keeps for up to 3 days in the refrigerator or 1 month in the freezer.
• If you have a blender, use it to puree the tomatoes and beans in Step 4. This will give the soup a smoother feel.