So you had to know a soup was coming with the elimination diet. It just wouldn’t be a “diet” without some type of soup! And not just any soup but I’m using the rest of my beans from last weeks black bean puree. Pretty much the same veggies as from the Lettuce Wrapped Tacos but a little more oomph with this vegan and gluten-free Thick Black Bean Soup that’s perfect for the elimination diet.

Do you know hard it is to find a stock or broth without tomatoes and soy? There is one brand of stock that doesn’t have either but my store didn’t carry it. Really? If I’d remembered when I was at Whole Foods I would have looked but, shoot. I forgot. Turns out I didn’t need any stock for this soup. I used unsweetened plain almond milk to help cream the surprise for the black bean puree – cauliflower! Yep, getting extra veg in this already veg filled soup by creaming defrosted cauliflower. Love being able to sneak in some extra veg without changing the idea of the meal. But really, soup needs extra veggies. I also added an extra spice that smelled wonderful, but also worried me that I added too much. I just wanted the spice as a background taste. What is it? Cinnamon! I just can’t get away from cinnamon and thought I would give it a try in a savoy soup. And it worked!

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Start by soaking the beans the overnight. Rinse the beans and the wash out the pot. Dump the beans back into the pot and pour hot water over. Bring to a boil and then lower heat. Put lid on a little skewed and let simmer for 30 minutes. While the beans are working roast the garlic in the oven for 45 minutes at 350 degrees. Once softened rinse and let sit. Once beans are cool, defrost cauliflower and kale in the microwave then dump cauliflower first into a blender then add roasted garlic and milk. Blend until smooth then add two cups beans and blend. Add spices and blend then set aside. In a soup pot add olive oil and chopped onions and mushrooms. Saute on medium heat until mushrooms get liquidy then add in chopped zucchini and carrots. Once veggies are soft add kale and rest of beans and mix then add bean puree and mix well. There should be enough veg liquid in the pot that you won’t need to add any water but you can add water to loosen up if needed. Let cook about 30 minutes. Enjoy.

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Thick Black Bean Soup, 9 servings

3 C Dried Black Beans, soaked and boiled
1 Pkg Frozen Cauliflower, defrosted and microwaved
1 Bulb Garlic, roasted
2 C So Delicious Dairy Free Unsweetened Almond Milk
3 Tbsp Trader Joe’s Olive Oil
3 Pkgs Button Mushrooms, chopped
2 Red Onions, chopped
5 Carrots, sliced thin
4 Large Zucchini, chopped small
1 Pkg Frozen Kale, defrosted
1 Tbsp Oregano
1 Tbsp Cumin
1 Tsp Chili Pepper Flakes
1 Tsp Cinnamon

1. Bring soaked black beans to a boil then lower heat to medium-low and put a lid on skewed and cook 30 minutes. Rinse beans in cold water.
2. While beans are cooking roast garlic at 350 degrees for 45 minutes.
3. Once beans and garlic are cool, defrost cauliflower and kale in the microwave.
4. In a blender pour one cup milk, the cauliflower and garlic and blend until smooth. Add two cups beans and rest of milk and blend again. Add in all spices and blend until smooth. Set aside.
5. Chop onions and mushrooms and add to pot with the olive oil and heat over medium heat. Mix then put lid on and let sweat.
6. Chop carrots and zucchini into small chunks. Add to pot and mix then put lid back on. Let heat until veggies are soft.
7. Squeeze liquid out of kale then add it and rest of beans to the pot and mix.
8. Pour in half the puree and mix then add rest and mix again. Let cook uncovered on low heat 30 minutes.
9. Enjoy!

This recipe is entered into the So Delicious and Go Dairy Free Snackable Recipe Contest. And yes – soup is a perfect snack. This soup came out to less than 200 calories for about 2 cups of soup. You can’t get those awesome calorie counts in a bag of chips!