This winter has been really weird this year. The temperature can’t seem to make up its mind! Two days ago it was 9º when I woke up in the morning. Yesterday it was 46º. Weird. Up north has been getting a lot of snow, while we just get dismal rain. I am keeping my fingers crossed for a white Christmas! Speaking of which, we still need to get our tree. The nice thing about living in the middle of nowhere, is the fact that there are plenty of Christmas trees in our back yard we can just go out and chop down. Buying a tree is totally foreign to me. Even though the temperatures are flip-flopping, I am still digging the comfort food. And the holiday sweets. (I have many up-coming treats to share with you.) Soup is my go-to comfort. I love this soup because it is healthy and filling. Black beans are becoming a big favorite of mine. My kids wouldn’t necessarily agree with me, but I try to sneak them in things all the time. This soup would be great to make a big batch and freeze a bunch for later. And most of the ingredients are things you most likely have on hand to whip up a quick dinner last minute. Win!
Recipe adapted from Smells Like Home, originally from Cookin’ Canuck
Lentil and Black Bean Soup
This creamy soup is healthy and hearty with warm spices, vegetables and lentils. It's perfect for a cold winters evening with a side of bread.
Ingredients
- 1 Tablespoon olive or grapeseed oil
- 1 medium size onion, chopped
- 3-4 large stalks celery, diced
- 3-4 large carrots, diced
- 2-3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 2 teaspoons paprika
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 can (14 oz.) diced tomatoes
- 1 cup dried brown or green lentils, picked through and rinsed
- 4 cups low-sodium vegetable, or chicken broth
- 1/2 cup white wine, water or broth
- 3 cups water
- 1 can (14 oz.) black beans, rinsed and drained, divided
- 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
- salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- In a large pot or Dutch oven, heat the oil over medium heat. Add the onion, celery, and carrots and cook until the vegetables begin to soften, 6-7 minutes. Add the minced garlic, garlic powder, paprika and bay leaves and cook for about 30 seconds or until fragrant. Add the diced tomatoes, lentils, half of the black beans, the chicken broth and the water. Increase heat to high and bring to a boil then reduce heat to medium-high and cook, stirring occasionally, until the lentils are just tender, about 35 minutes
- Remove from heat and discard the bay leaves. Using an immersion blender, blend the soup until mostly puréed. Or, transfer half of the soup to a food processor and process until mostly puréed. Add mixture back to pot, along with remaining black beans. Taste and add salt and pepper as needed. Bring the soup back to a simmer over medium heat for another 10-15 minutes until the lentils are fully cooked through. Stir in parsley and serve.
