summer vegetable bake

Thanks to a new CSA-type thing that I joined 

(Homegrown Grocery---> http://www.homegrowngrocery.com/) 

and to my friend Nicole's garden, 

I may never have to grocery shop again :) 

Slight exaggeration, but I am so excited about all my fresh, 

local, organic produce, milk, eggs, homemade granola, etc... so fun! 

We're having this vegetable bake for dinner tonight, so it may be risky to post this before I eat it, but what could go that wrong with these ingredients?!

Ingredients: 

-a couple yellow squash

-a couple zucchini

-an onion 

-a few tomatoes

-2 cloves garlic

-red pepper flakes

-s&p

-dill

-parmesan cheese 

Directions:

Mince garlic and a little bit of the onion. 

Spray bottom of small baking dish with cooking spray and sprinkle a little bit of the

 diced onion and minced garlic along the bottom. 

Slice zucchini, squash, onion, and tomato thinly. 

Arrange vegetables in pretty rows, using whatever pattern you like.

 I did zucchini, squash, tomato, onion. 

Sprinkle the remaining garlic on top along with some sea salt, pepper, a few dashes of dill and red pepper flakes. 

Drizzle lightly with olive oil. 

Bake at a 400 for about 30 minutes covered. 

Uncover, sprinkle some parmesan cheese (or another cheese if you'd prefer) on top and bake uncovered for about another 10 minutes or until cheese is bubbly and it looks cooked and delicious. 

enjoy! :) 

light creamy mushroom soup

I think by now you know how much I love soup. 

I love mushrooms almost as much. 

I don't love really thick, overbearing soups though...

this one is perfect. 

Even the "carbs-loving" husband of mine asked me to make this again. 

Spring is almost here. 

Try this before it's too warm. 

Texas friends..it may already be too late for you. (turn on your AC and make it anyway)

I'll post a fish taco recipe soon to commemorate the beginning of spring. 

:) 

Ingredients: 

2 c mushrooms, roughly chopped 

(use a variety. i used half cremini, half baby bella)

1 T olive oil

3 cloves garlic, chopped

1 T butter

1 T fresh thyme (or 1 t dried)

2 bay leaves

1 t worcestershire 

1 c broth

1 T flour

sea salt

1 c fat free half & half

dash nutmeg

ground pepper

fresh parsley or thyme, for garnish

Directions: 

Heat oil in saucepan. Add butter and lightly sauté garlic on medium hear.

Add mushrooms, thyme, bay leaves, and worcestershire. 

Cook about 5 minutes.

Gradually add in broth, stir occasionally until boiling.

Reduce and simmer 10 minutes.

Add flour and stir until it thickens. 

Season with salt and nutmeg. 

Taste and adjust seasoning. Add "cream" and bring to simmer.

Turn off heat. Add pepper and stir. 

Garnish and enjoy :) 

Baked Oatmeal

My Mama's Baked Oatmeal. 
Mostly guilt-free comfort food in the morning. 
Yes please! 

Ingredients:

3 apples, peeled and cubed (about 1/2")

brown sugar

cinnamon

3-4 bananas, sliced in about 1/2" chunks

2 c blueberries

1/4 c honey or agave

2 c uncooked oats

1 c toasted walnuts, optional

3/4 t baking powder

1 t cinnamon

1/4 c brown sugar

pinch salt

1.5 c milk

2 eggs

1 t vanilla

Directions: 

Heat oven to 375. Lightly spray 9x13" baking dish with cooking spray.

Toss apples in dish with sprinkle of cinnamon and a bit of brown sugar. Bake for about 8 minutes.

Layer blueberries and bananas with apples.

Mix oats, walnuts, baking powder, cinnamon, brown sugar, and salt together. Pour over fruit.

Mix milk, eggs, honey, and vanilla together. Pour over oats and fruit. 

Sprinkle a few additional walnuts and blueberries over top and bake for about 30-40 minutes or until set, bubbly, and slightly browned on top. 

Serve warm. 

Could be prepared the night before then baked in the morning. 

enjoy :) 

Vegetarian Taco Soup

This is a tiny bit adapted from my friend Melissa's taco soup recipe. 

She is by far the best vegetarian cook that I know.

 I love love love picking her brain for recipes. Thanks, friend!

p.s. I'm making it for small group this week...miss you guys so much! 

Ingredients:

1/2 lb. morning star ground beef substitute

1 onion, chopped

1/4 jalapeño, finely chopped

1 tomato, chopped

1 can pinto beans, drained and rinsed (15 oz)

1 can dark red kidney beans, drained and rinsed (16 oz)

1 can black beans, drained and rinsed (15 oz)

1 can shoe peg corn, drained and rinsed (11 oz)

1 can rotel diced tomatoes (10 oz)

1 small packet hidden valley ranch style dressing

1 low sodium/organic package taco seasoning

4 cans water

Directions: 

Brown together first 3 ingredients. 

Add all other ingredients.

Bring to a boil, reduce heat to simmer, simmer about 1 hour.

garnish options: cilantro, chips, cheese, tomatoes, avocado

enjoy :) 

Crockpot Tomato Basil Parmesan Soup

Growing up, my mom never cooked in a crockpot. Ever. 

Mom, do you own a crockpot??

I've been told many times that "the apple doesn't fall far from the tree" 

when it comes to being like my mama. 

 Because of a busier work schedule this year, I've veered from "the tree" 

and started resorting to my crockpot. a lot! 

Life saver!
(thank you, Tom & Camille for my wonderful crockpot!)

In the original directions, this soup has a lot of fuss and hoop-la and 

stuff you're supposed to do before adding it to the crockpot. 

To me, that defeats the purpose of using a crockpot.
It's already hard enough to crawl

 into the back of my cabinet to lug the thing out....

So I decided to just dump all the ingredients in at once and voila.
Delicious. 

Ingredients: 
3 cans diced tomatoes, with juice (low sodium if possible)
1 can tomato sauce
1 cup diced celery
1 cup chopped carrots
1 cup chopped onion

1 T dried oregano
1 T chili powder
1/2 t cayenne pepper
4 c broth
1 bay leaf
1 c shredded parmesan cheese
2 T butter, optional
2 c skim milk (or fat free half and half)
1/2 cup fresh basil
1 t salt
1 t pepper

Directions: 
Add all ingredients to the crockpot
EXCEPT the fresh basil and 1/4 cup parmesan cheese.

Cook on low for 5-7 hours.

Add basil and reserved parmesan for last 30 minutes of cooking time.


enjoy :)

Watermelon, Basil, Feta Salad

Get ready to impress.

  

With VERY little effort.

This salad is oh so pretty. 

It's like the perfect sundress...in a salad version. 

makes sense to me 

:)

Ingredients: 

Seedless watermelon, cut into bite-sized chunks

Handful (or more) of feta

Couple handfuls of basil, chopped

Lime juice

Sea Salt

Olive Oil
Tiny drizzle of balsamic vinegar and/or sprinkle of orange zest if desired.

Directions: 

 Chop of the watermelon and basil. 

Squeeze a little lime juice and add a few dashes of olive oil.

 Lightly toss together. 

Sprinkle the feta on top (don't stir or it gets messy looking)

Top with a little sea salt and vinegar/orange zest if you wish.

Serve on a bed of arugula or on its own.
Garnish with fresh mint or basil.

Enjoy! 

Spinach Lemon Pasta Bake

This pasta dish is fresh, summery, and simple.

 It's a good one to make for a crowd. 

Ingredients: 

12-16 oz. whole wheat pasta (not a spaghetti type of noodle)

1 lemon, zested and juiced (use 1/2 lemon if you don't love lemon)

2 c fresh spinach, roughly chopped

3 cloves garlic, minced

2 c milk or half and half, any kind 

1-2 T butter

1-2 T flour

1/4 c parmesan cheese

1/4 c shredded mozzarella

red pepper flakes

basil, dried or fresh

s&p to taste 

Directions: 

Preheat over to 350. 

Make pasta, drain, put back in pot with a dash of olive oil to prevent sticking.

Add butter to sauce pan and melt. Saute garlic in butter. 

Add milk, flour, lemon juice & zest, and spices (including basil).

Stir with whisk until it thickens.

Add sauce, spinach, and cheese to pasta (reserve a little parmesan for the top) Stir.

Transfer to casserole dish and top with remaining parmesan cheese.

Bake covered for 20 minutes.

Uncover and bake 5 more minutes. 

Garnish with fresh basil and serve.

Enjoy! 

grilled asparagus with lemon zest

This is too simple to be considered a "recipe", 

but here goes nothin'. 

This is a very easy way to add a fresh, 

new spin to asparagus. 

All you need:

asparagus (1 bunch)

olive oil (1-2 Tbs)

lemon zest (of about 1/2 a lemon)

s&p

fresh herbs

All you do: 

-trim asparagus (break off the ends. asparagus make a 

natural break with the last few tough inches of the stalk)

-heat grill (I used an indoor grill pan)

-toss asparagus on grill and drizzle with olive oil, salt and pepper, and lemon zest 

-grill until tender, but crisp, rotating as necessary

-serve with chopped fresh herbs sprinkled on top (mint or basil)

Simple, healthy side to compliment almost anything this Spring.

Oh yes, happy Spring!! My favorite :) 

Roasted Green Beans with Mushrooms and Balsamic

quick, easy, snappy, healthy, addicting, yummy, snazzy, tangy... green beans.

who knew a green bean could have so much going on?!

these do. promise.

Ingredients:

fresh green beans

balsamic vinegar

fresh sliced mushrooms

sea salt

pinch of pepper

extra virgin olive oil (or flaxseed oil)

Directions:

Preheat oven to 450. Wash and trim green beans. In large bowl or on foil-lined baking sheet toss green beans with a few splashes of olive oil, a couple pinches sea salt, a dash of pepper, and about 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar (these measurements can all be left up to your own preference).

Roast on foil-lined baking sheet for about 10 minutes. While beans are in oven toss mushrooms with about a teaspoon of balsamic and another splash of olive oil.

Toss mushrooms in with beans and roast for additional 5 minutes.

Enjoy!

Spicy Black Bean Soup

Soup season is in full force around here and it makes me oh so happy.

This is a new favorite of mine. I found it on Pinterest and it's originally from the gorgeous The Novice Chef blog. ( http://www.thenovicechefblog.com/)

It’s filling, it’s healthy, and it warms the insides on a chilly night.

Eat outside by a fire with friends and a glass of wine for additional happiness :)



(borrowed the Novice Chef's lovely picture)

Ingredients:

3 tablespoons olive oil
2 large white onions, chopped
4 large jalapenos, minced
1 large shallot, minced
5 garlic cloves, minced
2 1/2 tablespoons cumin
2 tablespoons chili powder
2 teaspoons white (or black) pepper
2 teaspoons dried oregano
6 (14.5 oz) cans low sodium black beans (4 cans drained & rinsed, 2 cans with liquid)
6 cups water, plus 3 tablespoons Better Than Bouillon Vegetarian No Chicken Base

*I also add about a half cup of orange juice (thanks for the suggestion, Mom!)

Directions: 

In a large heavy bottomed stock pot, over medium high heat, add olive oil, onions, jalapeno, shallot and garlic. Sauté until translucent.

Add spices and mix until well combined. Cook for 3 minutes more.

Add beans and broth (water + better than bouillon), bring to a simmer. Simmer until soup has thickened slightly, about 40-45 minutes.

Using an immersion blender (or using the transfer 1 cup at a time to a blender method and back to the pot method), blend about half of the soup until smooth.

Serve with avocado, fresh orange slices, and cilantro or a dollop of sour cream and chives.  

Happy Fall, Y’all! 

Enjoy.



my favorite way to eat corn...thanks, Mom!

What you'll need:

5 ears of corn (with all their clothes on..if you know what i mean. corn clothes=husks)

3 big cloves of garlic

about 2 T olive oil

about 1/2 tablespoon of butter

a little salt

a little pepper

a dash of cayenne pepper

What to do:

-Bring a big pot of water to a boil

-put all 5 ears of corn (husks and all) in the pot of boiling water

-boil for about 3 minutes

-remove from boiling water with tongs and place under cold water

-remove husks and cut corn off the cob

-heat olive oil and butter in skillet

-add garlic and corn

-saute for a couple minutes

-season with salt, pepper, and cayenne

it's crunchy and sweet and ohh so good.

enjoy!

lemon garlic hummus

I  bought tahini (Cooks Illustrated suggests Joyva or Krinos brands...the type of tahini can really make a difference!) a few weeks ago and I FINALLY tried making homemade hummus for the first time. It's so easy and so much less expensive than buying the store bought kind. Tahini (crushed sesame seeds) comes in a pretty big jar and you don't use much, so go ahead and "splurge" on tahini and you'll be able to make hummus for months!

Ingredients:
2 15 oz. cans no-salt-added garbanzo beans (chickpeas), rinsed and drained
2 garlic cloves
1/2 cup water
1/4 cup tahini
juice of 1 lemon
2 Tbs extra-virgin olive oil
3/4 tsp sea salt
1/4 tsp black pepper
paprika to serve, optional
drizzle of olive oil to serve, optional

What to do:
Place beans and garlic in food processor and pulse 5 times. Add 1/2 cup water and remaining ingredients (except olive oil). While pulsing, slowly incorporate olive oil into mixture. Pulse until smooth, scraping down sides as needed. Put into serving dish or bowl. Drizzle with a tiny bit of olive oil and sprinkle generously with paprika.

We enjoyed this for lunch on our porch with carrots, bell pepper, and cucumber....

What's your favorite type of hummus? Please share a great recipe if you have one!

kale is the new spinach

According to Mitch on Modern Family, "kale is the new spinach". That show cracks me up! It does seem like kale has taken its spot as the new "hip vegetable". Well, "hip" or not..it tastes great..and is super healthy. Kale chips. Kale salad. Steamed kale. Kale in soup. Yes, kale in soup. So I got a little over zealous with the whole turning off the heat thing and the making margs thing. I've had to scrape ice off my car a couple more times (hopefully we're finished with that!)...and our heat is back on. (my winter boots are staying in the closet though).  And I made soup again. I'm not complaning. I absolutely love soup.

This soup was so good. A new favorite of mine actually. We are substitutes in a CSA here...a local organic produce co-op... and I get giddy every time I hear that there's a sub spot open. I had lots of white potatoes, which I usually am not sure what to do with, kale, and more from the co-op so this soup was perfect.

Kale, Potato, and White Bean Soup

adapted from allrecipes.com

Ingredients:
2 T olive oil
1 yellow onion, finely chopped
3-5 cloves garlic, minced
1 bunch kale, stems and rib removed and leaves chopped
6 cups water
1 15 oz. can diced tomatoes
1 can petite diced tomatoes with herbs
about 5 white potatoes, peeled and cubed
2 15 oz. cans cannellini beans, rinsed and drained
4 carrots, peeled and sliced thin
2.5 T Italian seasoning
2 T dried parsley
s & p to taste

What to do:
Get vegetables ready...washed, chopped, etc. Rinse and drain beans. Open canned tomatoes.
Heat olive oil in a large soup pot. Cook onion and garlic until soft, 3-5 minutes. Stir in kale and cook until wilted, about 2 minutes. Stir in water, tomatoes, potatoes, carrots, beans, Italian seasoning, and parsley. Simmer soup on medium heat for 25-30 minutes or until potatoes are cooked through. Season with s & p to taste.

Enjoy!

p.s. I'm about to go get my sister from the airport!!
p.p.s. I think my cold is almost gone!
p.p.p.s. I get another box of goods from the co-op tomorrow. I'll post pictures. It really is so fun!

happy weekend everyone. :)

fresh breakfast

I ate a whole bag of popcorn yesterday.

There. I said it. (I may have done that a couple other times this week too...) I usually try to be careful about what I put in my body, but sometimes I crave pizza, popcorn, pasta, brownies, wine, etc...my bad.

Today I woke up and said, "Self, let's make some good food choices today..mm k?" Off to a good start with a good breakfast, a run, and a homemade smoothie for lunch...

This is one of those "not really a recipe recipes" so feel free to adapt to your liking! 
What I used:
one serving
3 scrambled egg whites (3 egg whites, a dash of milk, salt, and pepper...whisked and then scrambled)
about 1/2 cup chopped onion
2 mini sweet bell peppers, chopped
4 mushrooms, thinly sliced
6 grape tomatoes, halved (that was all i had left)
a huge handful of spinach...plus a little more

What do to:
Heat a little drizzle of olive oil in pan over medium high heat. Add onion and peppers and saute a few minutes. Add mushrooms, tomatoes, and spinach. Cook until tomatoes are heated through and spinach is wilted. Combine scrambled egg whites and vegetable mixture. Serve with a dollop of salsa.

Enjoy!

p.s. I think we're having pizza tonight ;)

Whole Wheat Pasta with Sun-Dried Tomatoes, Spinach, and Mushrooms

It's been a busy week! I started working another tiny part-time job (I call it tiny because I am working every other Monday and Tuesday...does that count as "another job"?).  I'm working for a family (helping drive kids to activities, helping with homework, helping with dinner, making the mom's life a little bit less stressful, etc.) So yeah, I do that now. I am enjoying it a lot and am also still getting used to it. "It" being..giving up my time some afternoons because I have gotten SO used to doing whatever I wanna do, whenever I wanna do it when I leave job #1!
This new schedule has also affected our dinner a little bit. Not quite as much time to spend in the kitchen. The other day I literally threw this pasta together. It was so quick...and yummy...if you like sun-dried tomatoes as much as I do.  Having a busy week? Not sure what to do for dinner? Like sun-dried tomatoes? Try this...

serves about 6 ...
Ingredients:
about 3/4 box of whole wheat penne pasta
2 huge handfulls fresh spinach
container of sun-dried tomatoes (from Whole Foods), cut in half or thirds
3-6 cloves garlic, minced
about a cup sliced mushrooms
red pepper flakes
olive oil
sea salt & pepper
shredded parmesan cheese
lemon to serve, if you'd like

what to do: cook pasta according to directions
while pasta is cooking, heat 1 Tbs olive oil in pan
cook garlic for about 20 seconds
add mushrooms to pan, cook about 2 minutes
add spinach, a little more olive oil, red pepper flakes
remove from heat and stir (until spinach cooks down)
toss spinach and mushroom mixture with drained pasta
add sun-dried tomatoes (and more olive oil if needed!)
add salt, pepper, and more red pepper flakes to taste
toss in some shredded parmesan cheese
serve with another dash of parmesan cheese and a squeeze of fresh lemon juice (taste your pasta first before adding lemon. you might not need any more flavor.)

Enjoy!

veggie black bean burgers & lime "sour cream"

Lately I've been cooking a lot and sharing a little. not sure why..but I'll try to be better about sharing what's going on in my kitchen. I made these for our small group for the first time last week and they were a hit! I made another big batch of them just for Ryan and me and put the leftover patties in the freezer for sometime soon..tonight maybe?

Veggie Black Bean Burgers (12 servings...serve to a crowd or freeze what you don't eat):
3 (15 oz) cans black beans, drained and rinsed
1.5 green bell pepper, cut into 2 inch pieces
1.5 onion, cut into wedges
9 cloves garlic
4 eggs
3 T chili powder
4 t cumin
1 T Thai chili sauce or hot sauce
2 c panko bread crumbs

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees and lightly oil a baking sheet.
2. In a medium bowl, mash beans with a fork until thick and pasty. 
3. In a food processor, finely chop bell pepper, onion, and garlic. Remove excess water from vegetables. Stir into mashed beans. Add a little cilantro and corn if you'd like!
4. In a small bown, stir together egg, chili powder, cumin, and hot sauce.
5. Stir egg mixture into mashed beans. Mix in bread crumbs until the mixture is sticky and holds together. Divide mixture into 12 patties.
6. Bake about 10 minutes on each side.

Lime Sour Cream:  (I put sour cream in quotes in the title of this post because I used light sour cream the first time I made it and 0% fat Greek yogurt the second time...use which ever you prefer)

The amount of each ingredient could have "ish" at the end of every one of them! There is a lot of freedom in how you make this. More lime, okay! Less cilantro, okay! More red peppers...fewer jalapenos....more yogurt....you get the point. Play with it until it tastes just right to YOU :)

combine all ingredients and lightly stir:
1 cup nonfat greek yogurt or light sour cream
1.5 T fresh lime juice plus a little bit of grated lime zest
10 sliced jarred jalapenos, minced
sea salt to taste
small handful chopped cilantro
a few T finely chopped red pepper

Serve black bean burgers (topped with lime sauce of course!) over brown rice, on a bun, by itself, over mixed greens, accompanied with a salad (roasted beet salad recipe coming soon!), or sweet potato fries. Or anything else that sounds great to you!

enjoy every bite!

vegetarian chili

This recipe says that it makes 6 servings, but I think it made more like 12. We ate chili for lunch and dinner for several days. Next time, I'll half the recipe probably. It was very easy and good!! Enjoy :)

what you need:
1 (12 oz.) package frozen burger-style crumbles (I used Morning Star brand)
2 (15 oz.) cans black beans, rinsed and drained
2 (15 oz.) cans dark red kidney beans
1 (15 oz.) can light red kidney beans
1 (29 oz.) can diced tomatoes
1 (12 fl. oz.) can tomato juice
2 onions, chopped
3 T chili powder
1.5 T ground cumin
1 T garlic powder
2 bay leaves
salt and pepper to taste

what to do: 
In a large pot, combine meat substitute, black beans, kidney beans, diced tomatoes, tomato juice, onions, chili powder, cumin, garlic powder, bay leaves, salt and pepper. Bring to a simmer and cover. Let the chili simmer for at least 1 hour before serving.

Top with crumbled tortilla chips and a dash of cheese. Mmm!

smoked gouda sweet potatoes

I tried a different spin on sweet potatoes this Thanksgiving. Instead of the pecan/marshmallow/gooey sweet goodness on top.. I made sweet potatoes with rich smoked gouda and lingering cayenne pepper flavors. Quite tasty, if I do say so myself. 

What you need:
4 T butter
3 T heavy whipping cream, divided
1/2 t coarse salt
1 t sugar
1/8 t cayenne pepper (or more if you like more kick)
2 pounds sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1/4 inch slices (cut as thin as you can!)
1/2 cup (2 oz.) shredded smoked Gouda cheese
6 strips bacon, cooked crisp and crumbled
2 green onions, chopped

What to do:
Heat the butter, 2 T of the cream, the salt, sugar, cayenne and sweet potatoes in a large saute pan over medium-low heat. Once the butter has melted, stir to coat the potatoes. Reduce the heat to low, cover and cook until the potatoes are very tender, about 30 to 40 minutes (I had to cook mine longer than the recipe says and I added a little skim milk in the last few minutes of cooking.), stirring occasionally. Remove from heat and add the cheese and remaining tablespoon of cream; cover for 1 to 2 minutes until the cheese melts. Mix thoroughly to mash the potatoes. Top with crumbled bacon and onions just before serving.

apple cider roasted vegetables

You can alter this recipe and use pretty much any vegetable you choose. I chose parsnips, rutabaga, baby carrots, and mushrooms. mmm!

what you need:
-about 5 parsnips (or 1.5 lbs), peeled and cut into 2-inch chunks
-1 lb. bag baby carrots
-about 3 large rutabaga, cubed
-1 lb. baby portabella mushrooms **
-4 T brown sugar
-4 T olive oil
-2 T apple cider vinegar

what to do:
Heat oven to 450. Place vegetables in roasting pan. In a medium bowl, whisk together the brown sugar, olive oil, and apple cider vinegar. Pour over the vegetables and toss to coat well.
Cook until tender, about an hour, stirring halfway. **Add the mushrooms during the last 10 minutes, toss to coat well, and finish roasting. Season to taste with sea salt and freshly ground pepper.

black bean soup & drop biscuits

The other night my mom asked me what I was planning to make for dinner. She thought my idea, black bean soup, sounded fantastic too so she made it the same night. I guess I shouldn't be too hard on myself  considering that: 1. my mom is the best cook I know (no, seriously!) and 2. she's been cooking for quite a bit longer than I have, but all that to say...her soup turned out much better! I'm going to share her recipe instead of mine :)  (they were almost the same, but I like that hers called for more black beans, half of them pureed, and less rotel) Hope you enjoy!

Ingredients (for soup):
1 onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, chopped
1 T olive oil
5 carrots, peeled and sliced
1/3 cup chopped celery (optional)
4 ears corn, kernels removed
1 orange, juiced
2 26 oz. cans black beans, drained and rinsed
1 15 oz. can black beans, drained and rinsed
1 15 oz. can mild rotel tomatoes
1 vegetable bouillon cube
water
salt, pepper, cayenne pepper, cumin

Directions (for soup):
Heat olive oil in large pot. Add onion and saute till beginning to soften. Add garlic, carrots and corn (and celery). Stir in tomatoes and orange juice. Process one 26 oz. can black beans in food processor with a little water, pulsing till chopped but not too mushy. Add all beans, vegetable bouillon, water to desired consistency and season. Cook till carrots are slightly done and soup is very hot.
*Serve garnished with mandarin orange segments, avocado slices and greek yogurt or sour cream.

I made these drop biscuits (from Cooks Illustrated) to go with our soup! They were delicious, if I do say so myself :)  

Ingredients (for biscuits):
2 c all-purpose flour
2 t baking powder
1/2 t baking soda
1 t sugar
3/4 t table salt
1 c  cold buttermilk (I used non-fat)
8 T unsalted butter, melted and cooled slightly, plus 2 T butter for brushing biscuits

Directions (for biscuits):
Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 475 degrees. Whisk flour, baking powder, baking soda, sugar, and salt in large bowl. Combine buttermilk and 8 Tablespoons melted butter in medium bowl, sitrring until butter forms small clumps.
Add buttermilk mixture to dry ingredients and stir with rubber spatula until just incorporated and batter pulls away from sides of bowl. Using greased 1/4 cup dry measure, scoop level amounts of batter and drop onto parchment-lined rimmed baking sheet. Makes 12 biscuits.
Bake until tops are golden brown and crisp, 12 to 14 minutes. Brush biscuit tops with remaining 2 T of melted butter. Sprinkle with sea salt.