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Easy Black Bean Soup

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This Easy Black Bean Soup is going to become your new go-to when you want something warm and comforting.
easy black bean soup

Black bean soup is one of the first things I learned to make well. It’s one of the first things that people starting asking me for the recipe for, and I loved it — the soup and the compliments!  Hmmm… maybe this humble soup is one of the reasons I realized I was meant to be a cook…

Recently, a friend of mine pulled out my old black bean soup recipe that I had given her many, many years ago. I was shocked that she still had it and that she still makes it. I remember loving this recipe too. But when I looked at it, I was reminded that this particular black bean soup recipe contains rice. The rice helped thicken the soup and made the texture pretty darn awesome.

It’s not that I don’t ever eat rice, but I really wanted to create an easy black bean soup recipe that didn’t require any grains at all, and was just as hearty and delicious as this old memory.

This Easy Black Bean Soup really is perfect. And it’s grain-free and dairy-free, but it’s still really creamy and delicious. And, I think it’s so awesome that you can find organic black beans at amazingly cheap prices now… so aside from all of the goodness in this soup, it’s a really budget-friendly meal too.

I love soup, and not just for cozy family dinners. I love to serve soup when I entertain, but I don’t use it in the traditional way. I learned long ago not to serve too many appetizers when I have people over for dinner. While it was fun, I’d end up with way too many leftovers because everyone filled up on the apps. So, now what I do is I make a delicious pot of soup and keep it on the stove. I place the bowls and the toppings on the counter, and anyone who is hungry before I’m ready to serve dinner can help themselves. It’s fun, it’s cozy, and it works.

I love to top this soup with lots of different things. Sometimes I’ll use sourdough croutons, or croutons made from grain-free bagels. Sometimes I’ll use cheese (often it’s dairy-free), scallions, or avocado. And, I’ll bet bacon or sausage would be awesome too. In short, it’s not rocket science, it’s only soup. Do it your way and have fun.

Oh, and I forgot to mention that in Chinese medicine, black foods are considered longevity foods… so there’s that.

If you’re looking for another great black bean recipe, try my Black Bean And Pork Chili.

easy black bean soup

If you eat the right foods and herbs for your unique body and circumstances, you can heal yourself. All you need is the correct information. And I’m here to give it to you.  If you want to learn more about healing whatever your specific concerns are, I’d love to help you create a healthy lifestyle plan specifically for your unique needs, so sign up for a free phone consultation and we can chat about it.

easy black bean soup

Here are some of the amazing healing ingredients in this Easy Black Bean Soup:

In Chinese medicine, black foods are known as the best foods to strengthen the body and nourish the blood. We recommend them for many people who suffer from chronic lower back pain, knee pain and infertility. Black beans have the highest amount of antioxidants of any bean, they are high in fiber and are good for the heart.

Onions are great for your immune system; they are a natural antihistamine. Recently, I recommended that a patient with bronchitis put sliced raw onions in her socks when she went to sleep… she woke up so much better. (I know I’ve told you this before, but it really is awesome!) Onion is a superhero in the food world!

Turmeric is actually a Chinese herb (Jiang Huang). It is great for reducing inflammation throughout the body. If you suffer from aches and pains in your joints, try turmeric. It can help relieve menstrual pain and some other abdominal pains but, if you are pregnant, ask your doctor before you eat too much turmeric.

Garlic is amazing in its antiviral and antibacterial capabilities. Garlic is actually a Chinese herb (Da Suan). It’s used to kill toxins and parasites and also to reduce swelling in the body. It’s what I call a great “A” herb: anesthetic, antibacterial, anti fungal, antioxidant, antiviral, etc….

easy black bean soup

Easy Black Bean Soup
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Recipe type: gluten free, grain free, nut free, dairy free, vegan, vegetarian
Cuisine: soup
Author:
Prep time:
Cook time:
Total time:
Serves: 4-6
This Easy Black Bean soup is so creamy, delicious, and healthy. It's simple and so cozy.
Ingredients
  • 2 Tbs extra-virgin olive oil
  • 4 garlic cloves, smashed
  • 1 med onion, chopped
  • salt and pepper, to taste
  • 2 15-oz cans black beans, undrained
  • 2 cups vegetable broth (or can substitute bone broth)
  • 1 tsp cumin
  • 2 tsp chili powder
  • ½ tsp chipotle chili powder, or to taste
  • 1 tsp turmeric
  • 1 Tbs unsweetened chocolate chips or raw cacao powder
  • 1 tsp balsamic vinegar
  • optional toppings: sliced scallions, shredded cheddar cheese, diced avocado, croutons, etc.
Instructions
  1. Heat oil in a large soup pot over med heat.
  2. Add garlic and onion. Season with salt and sauce, stirring, 5 mins.
  3. Add beans, broth, spices, and chocolate.
  4. Simmer, uncovered, 25 mins, stirring occasionally.
  5. Using a stick blender, or a regular blender, blend half of the soup and then stir it back into the pot.
  6. Stir in balsamic vinegar. Adjust seasonings and ladle into bowls.
  7. Top with your choice of toppings and enjoy.

easy black bean soup

 

Flourless Chocolate Walnut Cookies

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These Flourless Chocolate Walnut Cookies are so delicious… nobody will guess that they are grain-free and dairy-free!
flourless chocolate walnut cookies

I was never one of those people who had real true chocolate cravings. Honestly, I never understood it when people said they needed chocolate and they needed it fast. And then, last week, I had a chocolate craving… hmm. It wasn’t all-encompassing, but it was a definite strong desire for something chocolate. And nothing else would do. So, I looked through my recipes. What could I make that I had all of the ingredients on hand for? What could I make that was simple. I didn’t want to mess around with cake pans and pie tins.

I have a few cookies recipes on this site that I know will come out great every time I make them. My Flourless Chocolate Chip Walnut Cookies are my usual go-tos when I’m in a cookie mood. And I know my Grain-Free Oatmeal Raisin Cookies are awesome too. And then there’s my Grain-Free Peanut Butter Cookies… yum.

But nothing was chocolatey enough.

So, these Flourless Chocolate Walnut Cookies were born. Out of a chocolate need.

You should know, baking does not come naturally to me. It’s not like I have it in my skillset to just start creating a cookie recipe. I am not equipped with enough baking knowledge to know the ratios of flours to sugars to everything else. So, I started perusing my favorite food blogs to get some ideas.  I want to give thanks to Arman at The Big Mans World — I worked off of his ratios in his awesome recipe for Paleo Vegan Chocolate Hazelnut Cookies.

Maybe one day I’ll be able to experiment with cookie baking independently, but for now I’ll save the complete and total experimenting to my cooking and I’ll look to the experts for the baking… it certainly worked out well here in this recipe for Flourless Chocolate Walnut Cookies.

flourless chocolate walnut cookies

I learned long ago that my digestion runs so much better without any grains at all. If you think you are one of these people, I urge you to remove grains from your diet and see how you feel. Digestion is my baby — it’s what got me into this work. I wrote an ebook on it… you can download it below for free now.

Free healthy digestion ebookDownload my free ebook: Healthy Digestion Food Plan.

flourless chocolate walnut cookies

Here are some of the amazing healing ingredients in this recipe for Flourless Chocolate Walnut Cookies:

I used almond flour in this recipe. In Chinese medicine, nuts are known to be good for your brain, heart, skin and reproductive system. Almonds are particularly nutritious. They are a good source of protein and they give you energy. And, they are gluten free and make the best grain free flour! Almonds will help relieve a cough and asthma and are also good for constipation.

Raw cacao is a superfood. It is packed with magnesium, iron, zinc and other minerals. Not only is it packed with health benefits, but it actually has properties that help the body absorb nutrients better and it’s filled with antioxidants. Cacao can actually be translated as “food of the gods”… Raw cacao can help lower blood pressure, promote healthy heart function, improve digestion, and may even help increase the libido.

Sesame seeds have many great nutritional benefits. This recipe calls for tahini (sesame paste). These seeds are an anti-aging food. If you have backaches, hair thats graying way too fast, ringing in the ears, weak knees, blurry vision or general weakness, go for the sesame seeds; just sprinkle them on everything. Long ago in China, sesame seeds were ground into honey to form a paste and was taken as a medicine to counter old-age and weakness. Black sesame seeds are a Chinese herb (Hei Zhi Ma). Black foods, in Chinese medicine, are knows as longevity foods. This recipe uses tahini, which is a paste made from sesame seeds and oil (I buy this ready-made in a can or a jar).

Peanuts, contrary to what some believe, are actually good for many things in your body. I don’t often let myself eat them because they sometimes contain mold and it’s really hard to find reasonably priced organic healthy peanuts. But, these popular nuts are great for lessening edema; they act like a diuretic. They can also help you if you have insomnia or if you are breast feeding. An old-time remedy is to made peanut tea and drink it for bed to promote sleep. And, peanut shells used to be used to help with high blood pressure.

In Chinese medicine, we use coconut to strengthen the body, reduce swelling, and stop bleeding. Coconut kills viruses, bacteria, and parasites. It’s good for all types of infections and viruses in the body, including the flu, bronchitis, tapeworms, urinary tract infections, and herpes. And perhaps most importantly, it helps you keep your mind sharp and it makes it easier for you to focus. These cookies contain coconut flour, coconut oil, and coconut sugar.

flourless chocolate walnut cookies

Paleo Chocolate Walnut Cookies
Print
Recipe type: cookies, dessert, chocolate
Cuisine: grain free, gluten free, dairy free, vegetarian
Author:
Prep time:
Cook time:
Total time:
Serves: 13
These Flourless Chocolate Walnut Cookies are the perfect grain-free dessert. They are delicious and they are good for you.
Ingredients
  • 1 cup almond flour
  • ¼ cup coconut flour
  • ½ cup coconut sugar
  • 2 Tbsraw cacao powder
  • 1 tsp baking soda
  • ¼ cuptahini
  • ¼ cup peanut butter
  • ¼ cup coconut oil, melted
  • 1 egg
  • 5 Tbs non-dairy milk (I used oat milk, but be aware that oats are a grain so if you want to keep these cookies completely grain-free, use almond milk, or hemp milk.)
  • ¼ cup roughly chopped walnuts
  • ½ cup plus 2 Tbs dark chocolate chips
Instructions
  1. Preheat the oven to 350°F.
  2. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
  3. In a large bowl, combine the almond flour, coconut flour, coconut sugar, cacao powder, and baking soda and whisk until well mixed.
  4. In a small bowl, stir together the tahini, peanut butter (I melted mine a bit in the microwave to make it easier), coconut oil, egg, and oat milk.
  5. Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and stir until just combined.
  6. Fold in the nuts and chocolate chips.
  7. Form the dough into golf-ball-size balls (I got 13 balls out of mine) and arrange them on the lined baking sheet, leaving as much space between them as possible. Gently press down to form cookies -- I used my fingers, but you can use the bottom of a glass or a fork.
  8. Bake 15 mins or until the edges are starting to crisp up a bit. Remove the pan to a rack to cool for a bit. Then, when the cookies are mostly cooked, use a spatula to place the individual cookies on the rack to cool. Eat some now and store the rest in a container in the fridge for later. Enjoy!

flourless chocolate walnut cookies