mmmmm, mondays: black bean soup with cilantro-lime cream-- guest post: vibrant grace

guest blogger: vibrant grace
when i met nellie and chach last fall, i immediately developed a blogger crush on both of them and wanted to partner up and actually be their third boob... that is until i understood the story behind "the third boob" and was thus traumatized for life. they noticed the wide-eyed look of shock and horror on my face and said "oh wait, you don't have children yet, do you?" when I told them that i didn't, they exchanged a quick knowing glance and declared they wouldn't tell me any more stories for fear that i would decide never to have children. i gave them permission to fill me in on all the necessary details... in the future, once its too late and i'm already prego. until then, i'm continuing to live my life in blissful naivete (aside from the irrational fear of growing extra boobs).


so while nellie is getting ready to bring a new little life into the world, and surely gaining more experiences to traumatize me with in the future, i'm blessed with the opportunity to guest post on the third boob. since i can't share my own experiences of motherhood, i decided to share something from my kitchen.


black bean soup with cilantro-lime cream

soup ingredients:
black beans: either 3 cans or 1 lb dried
4 cloves of garlic
2 chopped onions
1 chopped green pepper
1/4 bunch of fresh cilantro
olive oil
2 sprigs of fresh oregano
(jalepeno, if you like extra spice)
2 bay leaves
2 tbs. cumin
bacon (pre-cooked and crumbled)
1 3/4 c. chicken stock
salt & pepper to taste


cream ingredients:
1 carton of sour cream
2 tsp. lime zest
lime juice
cilantro


directions:
in a food processor, puree garlic, onion, green pepper, and cilantro.


in a large pot, heat olive oil, oregano, (jalepeno, if using), bay leaves, and cumin. add the veggie puree and saute for about 10 minutes. you'll be able to smell when it's ready. add beans and chicken stock and simmer for 2 hours if dried or at least 30 min if using canned beans.


while the soup is sauteing, put the sour cream into a bowl and zest a lime over it. cut the lime in half once zested and squeeze juice into the cream. add in some cilantro and mix it all together.


remove bay leaves from the soup. puree soup with an immersion blender to thicken the soup, but leave it a bit chunky. add in the crumbled bacon pieces and season to taste with salt and pepper.


serve the soup with a dollop (or more, clearly I love it!) of cilantro-lime cream. i highly recommend enjoying this soup with cheesy cornbread. yum!


special note, particularly for nellie: i told my sister about this recipe when my nephew was still an infant. she said that it sounded delicious, but refused to cook any overly beany dishes while he was still breastfeeding and/or she was still changing his diapers. just wanted to toss that warning out before you try the recipe. you're welcome.


hope you enjoy it and please come visit me over at vibrantgrace.com

grace writes about faith, fitness, and finances... with a bit of humor and inspiration thrown in for good measure. you can find her over at vibrant grace or follow her on twitter @vibrantgrace.