Vegan Black Bean Soup

Sometimes it is hard to find time to cook especially during the hustle and bustle of the holiday season. The good news is you can prepare meals beforehand when you DO have time.

Here is a great recipe to make now and eat later:

Ingredients:

1 tablespoon Kelapo Coconut Oil

1 large onion, chopped

1 stalk celery, chopped

2 carrots, chopped

4 cloves garlic, chopped

2 tablespoons chili powder

1 tablespoon ground cumin

1 pinch black pepper

4 cups vegetable broth

4 (15 ounce) cans black beans

1 (15 ounce) can whole kernel corn

1 (14.5 ounce) can crushed tomatoes

Directions:

1. Heat Kelapo Coconut Oil in a large pot over medium-high heat. Sauté onion, celery, carrots and garlic for 5 minutes. Season with chili powder, cumin, and black pepper; cook for 1 minute. Stir in vegetable broth, 2 cans of beans, and corn. Bring to a boil.
2. Meanwhile, in a food processor or blender, process remaining 2 cans beans and tomatoes until smooth. Stir into boiling soup mixture, reduce heat to medium, and simmer for 15 minutes.

Here are few tips to keep in mind before you freeze food:

Cool precooked dishes as quickly as possible before they are placed in the freezer.

When freezing liquids in containers, allow a small amount of head room for expansion.

Here are a few tips for thawing frozen foods:

In the refrigerator: This is the slowest but safest thawing technique. Small frozen items might thaw in a few hours, while larger items will take significantly longer–overnight and then some.

In cold water: Place the frozen food in a leak-proof bag and place in a large container of cold water.

In a microwave on the defrost setting: Plan to cook the food immediately after it has thawed in a microwave, because some areas of the food might have begun cooking during the defrost cycle.

– Leslee