Snowy Monday Soup

Mondays have, and likely always will be, my least favorite day of the week. This hatred has been diminished only slightly over the last few months by the fact that I work from home on Mondays, I've found it helps ease me back into the week. This particular Monday I decided to use my day at home to try out crock pot recipe numero dos. I hadn't planned to use my crock pot again so soon, or at least not to post about it, but I'm so in love with my latest creation that I just had to share. 


Today's recipe(s) du jour: black bean soup and whole wheat drop biscuits


First, a little background. For the last 5 years, instead of new year's resolutions (which I hate, but that's a separate rant), I have picked a "food of the year." This is a food that don't like, wish I did, and want to make myself like by year's end. It began easily enough, with tomatoes, but has increased in difficulty with each passing year. Year 2 was actually a two-food year because I conquered the first one (black beans) quicker than expected and then added avocados (thanks to this place) to my list. Oatmeal in year 3 was my hardest feat to date (I'm very particular about my food textures....as many who have dined with me can attest). Finally, last year, I went big--vegetarianism was appointed "food of the year." Although I was more giving up the few meats that I still ate (chicken and turkey....I'd given up pork and beef a few years prior) rather than learning to eat something new, I decided it would count as I still had to learn to alter my eating habits. And, for good measure I perfected my enjoyment of oatmeal during year 4 as well. It was the one food from years past that I still wasn't comfortable with (now I eat it every day at work). And that brings us to year 5. This year's food of the year is oysters. It shall be my greatest food challenge to date!


So, the "food of the year" story was told with the hope that you will better appreciate today's recipe. I used to hate all beans and not only have I come to love beans, but I'm now in love with a soup (another food that I have a love-hate relationship with depending on the season) made in large part with black beans! Thus, without further ado:


Crock Pot Black Bean Soup

Pre-slow cooking--ingredients: black beans, stewed tomatoes, veggies, seasoning

This recipe became even more exciting when I found out I was able to use another of my new Christmas toys--my stick blender!

Stick blender did not disappoint...and neither did this soup. I also made some easy whole wheat drop biscuits (another first).

It's a good thing I'm so in love with this recipe because it made a TON. If I can't convince TF to like it then I'm going to be eating it for the next week. For the time being, it definitely hit the spot on a cold, snowy Monday!

Black Bean Soup Recipe

Ingredients

• 3 cans of black beans
• 1 can of stewed tomatoes
• 2 cups of broth (vegetable or chicken)
• 2 tbsp salsa
• 1 1/2 cups chopped vegetables

Preparation

* I made some modifications to the original recipe and just threw in the veggies I wanted to use and then diced them all at the end with the beans and tomatoes

1. Empty all cans into the crock pot insert. Do not rinse the beans or drain the tomatoes
2. Add broth and salsa
3. Mix with spoon
4. Cook on low for 8-10 hours or high for 5-6
5. Before serving, use an immersion blender to soupify the beans, tomatoes, and veggies
6. Serve with some shredded parmesan cheese and a dollop of sour cream (optional)

*Original recipe can be found here

Fluffy Whole Wheat Drop Biscuits

Ingredients

• 1 cup milk
• 2 tbsp lemon juice
• 2 cups whole wheat flour
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1 tsp sugar
• 3/4 table salt
• 8 tbsp (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted and cooled slightly (5 min)
• 2 tbsp melted butter for brushing biscuits [optional]

Preparation

1. Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 450 degrees. 

2. Mix the lemon into the milk. set aside and allow to curdle, about 5 minutes. Milk mixture should be cold before mixing with butter. *This part can be omitted if buttermilk is used instead.

3. Whisk flour, baking powder, baking soda, sugar, and salt in large bowl.

4. Add melted butter to milk mixture; stir until butter forms small clumps.

5. Add milk mixture to dry ingredients and stir with wooden spoon until just incorporated and batter pulls away from sides of bowl forming a sticky ball. if batter feels too firm and dry bits are not gathering into a ball, sprinkle on more milk, about another tablespoon. Be careful not to overmix, as that will give you a less fluffy biscuit.

6. Spoon batter into approximately 1/4 cup portions and drop onto parchment-lined rimmed baking sheet, about 1 1/2 inches apart. Bake until tops just begin to brown and become crisp, 12 to 14 minutes.

7. Brush biscuit tops with melted butter, if you like. Transfer to wire rack to cool.

*Original recipe can be found here

Stay Warm!