The weather has definitely taken a turn toward winter across the United States.  I’ve spent a good bit of time in New York, Boston, Chicago, and San Francisco these past few weeks, and all of them have seen cold temperatures, rain, snow, and/or my personal favorite to trudge through — wintry mix.

I’ve been living in California for two and a half years, and despite my New York upbringing and strong Norwegian blood, I’ve gone horribly soft.  50 degrees?  Shoot.  Let me grab my winter coat.  And gloves.  And scarf.  And hat. And maybe some handwarmers while I’m at it…?

Joking.  Sort of…

Anyway, the good news about all of this?  ‘Tis the season for warm, hearty soups!  And this black bean vegetable soup recipe is elimination diet-friendly and packed with healthy nutrients to keep you revved up and ready to go this holiday season.

This soup was the first thing Kevin and I cooked on the elimination diet. The recipe was originally inspired by Bobby Flay’s Black Bean Soup with Toasted Cumin and Crema, which can be found in the Mesa Grill Cookbook. He had made it a handful of times before, and promised it’d be delicious.

He wasn’t lying.

I delicately slurped (if one can actually delicately slurp) up my first spoonful. My eyes opened up real wide and an easy grin stretched across my face.  Maybe this elimination diet wasn’t going to be so bad after all!

Plus, not only was the soup delicious, it was insanely easy to make.  Here’s how it’s done.

First, grab all your ingredients.

 

Next it’s time to coarsely chop up some carrots…

…and some celery…

…and your onion…

…and of course, the garlic!

Heat up your olive oil in a stockpot over medium heat, and throw all of your chopped vegetables (except the garlic) into it.  Add some salt and pepper to taste.  Cook the veggies — stirring frequently — for about 8-10 minutes. Once the onions are almost translucent, add the garlic and cook for 20-30 seconds.

Now it’s time to add the protein.  Add in your black beans, along with the chicken broth, cumin, and garlic powder.  Bring the pot to a boil, and then lower the heat until your pot is simmering.  Cook for about 30-45 minutes.

In the meantime, chop up some scallions and slice up some avocado for garnish.

 

Then, spoon your soup into a bowl, top with the avocado slices and scallions, sprinkle with a dash of cumin, and enjoy!

Black Bean Vegetable Soup

Prep Time: 25 minutes
Cook Time: 30 minutes
Makes: 4-6 servings

Ingredients

• 3 15 oz. cans of black beans, drained and rinsed
• 2 T olive oil
• 1 medium onion, coarsely chopped
• 6 medium carrots, peeled and coarsely chopped
• 6 stalks celery, coarsely chopped
• 4 cloves garlic, coarsely chopped
• 6 cups low-sodium chicken broth (or vegetable broth if vegetarian or vegan)
• Kosher salt
• Freshly ground black pepper
• 1/2t cumin
• 1/2t garlic powder
• 2 avocados, sliced

Instructions

1. Heat the olive oil in a medium stockpot (mine is 8 quarts and plenty big) over medium heat. Add the carrot, onion, celery and garlic. Season vegetables with a hint of salt and pepper. Cook it all for about 8-10 minutes, or until the onion is translucent. Keep a close eye on the garlic – you don’t want it to burn!
2. Add the beans, chicken broth, cumin, and garlic powder to the pot. Let simmer for 30 minutes.
3. Ladle the soup into bowls, top each bowl with some slices of avocado, sprinkle with cumin, and enjoy!