Posted by NAC Registered Dietitian, Kelly Jones on EatRealLiveWell.com

While you’re prepping other items for the week (like baking sweet potatoes & roasting veggies in the oven and hard boiling eggs) you can make this big batch of southwest inspired soup with bold and zesty flavors.

zesty southwest soup newtown pa

It’ll carry you through at least two meals for a family of four and plenty more if there are less people in your house. You can always double the recipe to freeze some for another week, too! Whether fridge or freezer, I like to store my soups in 2 Cup sized glass Pyrex containers so they’re already portioned out.

While the whole grain rice and beans together provide sufficient protein, I do recommend boosting it with some nutritional yeast when you serve it if you’re dairy free, and some sharp cheddar if you’re a dairy eater. For a sour-cream like taste, add a dollop of Greek style almond yogurt or actual Greek yogurt, too. I like to throw some avocado on top sometimes as well! If you’re an athlete and require more energy, you can obviously just listen to your body and have a bigger portion or, pair with some bean chips for another protein boost and some crunch.

Zesty Southwest Soup

Vegan, Gluten-free

Ingredients

  • 2 tablespoons avocado oil
  • 3 cloves garlic, minced
  • 2 jalapeños, minced
  • 1 medium onion, diced
  • 1 large or 2 small carrots, diced
  • 1 large or 2 small celery stalks, diced
  • 1 quart vegetable broth (+ 2 cups if you prefer a broth soup)
  • 1 15 oz can diced tomatoes
  • 1 4 oz can green chiles
  • 1 Cup short grain brown rice
  • 1-2 cans black beans, rinsed and drained
  • 1 tsp chili powder
  • 1/2 tsp paprika
  • 1/2 tsp oregano
  • 1/2 tsp cumin
  • Cilantro to garnish

Directions

  • To a large stockpot, add avocado oil over low-medium heat. Add the garlic and jalapeños and stir, letting cook about 1 minute.
  • Add the onions, carrot and celery, stir and cover, letting cook 3-5 minutes.
  • Pour in the vegetable broth, diced tomatoes and green chilis and bring to a boil.
  • Add the rice and let cook approximately 15 minutes before adding black beans and seasonings. Cook an additional 5 minutes, or longer depending on rice cooking instructions.
  • Let cool and serve or store in refrigerator or freezer.

 

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