Brr!

Wintertime in the northeast can be pretty chilly. We eat a lot of homemade soup around here. Often I pull together a loaf of bread and toss it into the oven to bake while the soup simmers. It’s a fast, hearty, tummy-friendly meal that doesn’t take a great deal of thought or endless preparation. I mean, we all have lots to do these days, so standing over the stove is fine for some nights but not-so-great for others, right?

Last night we had black bean soup—with a loaf of no-knead, fast-rising bread. It hit the spot here, so I figured it might be a crowd-pleaser at your house, too. Hope you enjoy it!

Black Bean Soup

1 onion, minced
3 cloves garlic, minced
splash olive oil
3 cups cooked black beans
1 chopped tomato
3 cups vegetable broth
1 cup water
2 t. ground cumin
2 t. red pepper flakes
½ cup chopped green chilies
1 T. lemon juice
salt and pepper

Heat oil, then sauté garlic and onion until tender. Add remaining ingredients, turn the heat to low and simmer for a bit. There’s nothing fancy about this recipe, and it doesn’t take a lot of skill. Just toss everything in the pot, let it bubble away for a while—and that’s it! Enjoy!