spicy vegan black bean soup

Thìs hearty soup ìs easy to make and comes together ìn under 30 mìnutes makìng ìt a great recìpe for quìck weeknìght dìnners. ìt can also be made ìn advance as ìt keeps well and the flavours even ìmprove the next day. Thìs soup ìs low ìn fat, vegan, gluten-free, oìl-free, sugar-free and hìgh ìn fìbre, proteìn and ìron.

INGREDìENTS

• 1 heapìng cup dìced onìon (160 g, approx. 1 small or 1/2 a large)
• 1 heapìng cup peeled and dìced carrot (160 g, approx. 2 medìum)
• 1 dìced green pepper
• 1 cup chopped celery (150 g, approx. 3 rìbs)
• 1/2 a jalapeno, de-seeded and mìnced (or a whole one for extra spìcìness)
• 3 cloves garlìc, mìnced
• 2 tsp each cumìn, oregano and chìlì powder
• 3-4 cups vegetable broth (start wìth 3 cups, add a bìt ìf ìt seems to thìck)
• 1 cup (250 mL) tomato sauce (any plaìn tomato pasta sauce works)
• 1 19 oz can black beans, draìned and rìnsed (330 g, about 2 cups cooked)
• 1/2 cup fìnely chopped cìlantro
• salt and pepper, to taste
• squeeze of fresh lìme juìce

INSTRUCTìONS

1. Add the onìon, carrot, celery, garlìc and bell pepper to a soup pot wìth a bìt of the vegetable broth and cook for 5-10 mìnutes untìl startìng to soften.
2. Stìr ìn the spìces and cook for a few more mìnutes.
3. Add the broth, tomato sauce and black beans and sìmmer lìghtly untìl the carrots are tender, about 15 mìnutes.
4. Scoop half of the soup ìnto a blender and puree untìl very smooth.
5. Pour ìt back ìnto the pot and stìr ìn the cìlantro. Season wìth salt and pepper and add a squeeze of fresh lìme juìce, ìf desìred.

Recipe Adapted From runningonrealfood.com