Black Bean Soup with Cilantro-Lime Rice

I got this recipe from one of my new favorite food blogs: Iowa Girl Eats.
This recipe was so easy and everyone loved it!  

Serves 4

Ingredients: 

1 Tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
1/2 small onion, minced2 garlic cloves (I probably did 4 cloves)salt and pepper2 teaspoons chili powder1/4 teaspoon cumin2 cans seasoned black beans, drained but not rinsed (She used Trader Joe’s Cuban-style beans, but I just used regular)1-1/2 cups water1 cup chicken broth4-5 dashes green Tabasco sauce (I omitted for the kids)
Toppers: sliced avocado, salsa, sour cream (avocado is key!)

For the rice:
1 cup long grain white rice
2 cups water
1 Tablespoon canola or vegetable oil
1/2 teaspoon salt
juice of 1/2 lime
3 Tablespoons chopped cilantro (I just used 3 t dried)

Directions:

Heat oil in a large soup pot over medium heat. Add onion, season with salt and pepper, then saute until soft, about 10 minutes. Add garlic and saute for 30 more seconds, stirring constantly. Add chili powder and cumin then saute for 30 more seconds.

Add drained beans, water, and chicken broth, bring soup to a boil, then lower heat slightly and simmer for 15 minutes. Scoop 2 ladle-fulls of soup into a blender or food processor then blend until almost smooth. Alternatively use a hand-held immersion blender to process 1/3 of the beans in the soup pot. Add blended soup back into the pot then add hot sauce and stir to combine

For the Cilantro-Lime Rice: While soup is simmering, bring water, oil, and salt to a boil in a saucepan. Add rice, place a lid on top, then turn heat down to medium-low and simmer until rice is tender, about 15 minutes. Stir to fluff then add lime juice and chopped cilantro.

To serve, scoop cooked rice into bottom of bowls then top with hot soup. Top with sliced avocado, salsa, sour cream, etc.

Creamy Tomato Basil Soup

Very yummy and easy. And check out my whole wheat bread! I am so proud of it. Sunday I tried to make bread. It was super hard to knead and it never rose. I was so upset. So today I tried again, a recipe from the Lions House cookbook. I've always had good luck with that cook book. And to my surprise my bread turned out. I also used a different attachment for my mixer, maybe that was the trick.

Well here is the recipe for the soup:

INGREDIENTS:

2 cans 28 oz. diced tomatoes or 4 cans 14 oz. diced tomatoes
1 cup chicken broth
1/2 to 1 onion (chopped)
2 Tablespoons sugar
2 Tablespoons butter
2 cloves garlic (minced)
pinch of baking soda
1 tablespoon fresh basil (chopped) or 1 teaspoon dried basil
2 cups cream

DIRECTIONS:

Mix tomatoes, chicken broth, sugar, butter, onion, garlic, baking soda in a pot. Simmer for 1 hour. Then heat cream in a small pan, stir to avoid burning or use a double boiler. Add cream to hot soup mixture.

White Chili

I got this recipe from a friend. Not sure where she got it from, but it is yummy. The girls even liked it. It has just the tiniest bit of spice.

INGREDIENTS

1 lb or 1 1/2 lbs ground turkey
1 can corn (drained)
2 cans white beans (drained)
1 jar chili verde salsa (I use the Herdez brand)
1 chopped onion
6 cloves garlic chopped
2 tablespoons cumin
1/3 cup sour cream
1 can chicken broth

DIRECTIONS

Sautee onions and garlic in a little oil till onions are soft. Add cumin and heat on med heat for 3 minutes. Add ground turkey, sautee till cooked. Add corn, beans, broth, salsa, and stir. Simmer on med heat for 5-10 minutes or heated through. Add sour cream and stir in completely.

Serve with grated monterrey jack cheese and olives if desired.