Yesterday, I ruminated on the wonders of soup. I probably could have gone on for quite a while, but I wanted to stay short and to the point. Kind of like this soup recipe.

Black Bean Soup is a favorite around here. It's hearty and filling, nutritious, and familiar. It's just... yum. And the whole process only takes about 25-30 minutes, so it's an easy weeknight meal and the leftovers make great lunches.

Quick Black Bean Soup 
Yield: About 4 servings

1/2 yellow onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced

1/2 tsp ground cumin
1/4 tsp ground chipotle powder (or chili powder)

1 carrot, peeled and diced
1 rib celery, sliced
3-4 oz mushrooms, quartered
2 cups cooked black beans (or 1 can, drained and rinsed)
1 cup diced tomatoes (fresh or canned)
2 cups vegetable broth
1 green onion, chopped
handful of cilantro and parsley leaves, chopped finely
4 Tbsp tofu mayo or vegan sour cream (optional garnish)
Sriracha or other chili sauce (for extra heat if desired)

1. In a medium saucepan, sautee onion and garlic over medium-low heat until soft (about 4-5 minutes). 
2. Stir in cumin and chipotle powder and cook for 1 minute. 
3. Add carrot, celery, mushrooms, black beans, tomatoes and 1/2 cup broth. Stir to combine and simmer until carrots begin to get tender. 
4. Add remaining 1 1/2 cups broth and cook until hot, stirring occasionally. 
5. Use an immersion blender to puree about half of the soup, or transfer half the mixture to a blender or food processor to puree before returning to saucepan. 
6. Remove from heat and stir in green onions, cilantro and parsley. 
7. Serve hot, and top each serving with 1 Tbsp of tofu mayo. Add Sriracha if you need more kick.