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Healthy Made Easy: Simple, Nourishing Solutions to Healthy Eating and Living

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Black Bean Soup

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Hey, whatcha cooking this Meal Prep Sunday? A comforting, cozy, nourishing soup is a no-brainer to add to your meal prep list. It’s pretty easy and straightforward to make, and can be reheated easily throughout the week to include with lunches and dinners (heck, it could even work with breakfast if you like!). This black bean soup is a regular in our house.

FYI – if you are unfamiliar with sherry vinegar, rest assured that it’s easy to find. You’ll find it in just about any supermarket.

If you don’t have an immersion blender, you can puree the soup in batches in your regular blender. IMPORTANT: Check your blender’s directions on how to safely blend hot foods.

If you’re in a soup kind of mood, also check out my recipe for Creamy Butternut Squash Soup.

Please leave a comment if you make it – would love to know what you think. Enjoy!

p.s. If you don’t have an immersion blender just yet, this recipe is the perfect reason to finally go out and get one. Just sayin’.

Print Recipe
 Black Bean Soup
bowl of black bean soup
Course Soups & Stews
Servings
Ingredients
Course Soups & Stews
Servings
Ingredients
bowl of black bean soup
Instructions
  1. In a large pot, heat oil over low to medium heat. Add celery, onion, and red pepper, and saute until they soften.
  2. Add garlic and stir for one minute. Add spices, bay leaf, and salt, and stir for one minute.
  3. Add broth, black beans, and sherry vinegar. Simmer for 20-30 minutes.
  4. Remove bay leaf. Just before serving, scoop out about 1 cup of the beans and set aside (a liquid measuring cup like a Pyrex one works well for this step). Using a handheld immersion blender, blend the remaining soup mixture that is in the pot. Return the unblended, whole beans (that you set aside) back to the pot.

5-minute Hummus

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If someone had told me a few years ago that someday I’d routinely be making my own hummus, I would have laughed at the absurdity. Well, never say never. These days, I make it on a regular basis – maybe once every two or three weeks as part of meal prep.

I used to believe that making hummus would be difficult and time consuming, and I didn’t see any need to make my own when I could simply buy it at the store.  I was motivated to finally try making my own when I got tired of paying SO much for those tiny little tubs of hummus at the supermarket (have you seen the price lately??). Also, as I began to read nutrition labels a bit more closely, I realized that many hummus brands contain poor quality, inflammatory, highly refined oils.

When I make my own hummus, I’m not only saving a bit of money, I’m also able ensure that it doesn’t contain those icky inflammatory oils. And the best part? I was pleasantly surprised to learn that making hummus is ridiculously easy! Seriously, if you know how to turn on your food processor, you can make hummus.

Hummus is a great addition to a bowl meal.

Hummus is super versatile, which is a nice bonus when you’ve actually taken the time to make it yourself. We enjoy it as a dip with veggies for a snack, in a mediterranean bowl meal, added to a salad or wrap, or even thinned with red wine vinegar to make a creamy dressing. It’s also delicious spread it on roasted eggplant slices, for a hearty snack or a side to round out your meal. It’s a meal prep staple in our house.

Give it a try in your meal prep this week! I swear it will make your life easier as you pack lunches and throw together meals.😊

An easy, well-rounded snack: hummus and veggies.

Great as a spread on roasted eggplant slices with greens.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Print Recipe
 5-minute Hummus
Course Appetizers, Snacks
Cuisine Mediterranean
Servings
Ingredients
Course Appetizers, Snacks
Cuisine Mediterranean
Servings
Ingredients
Instructions
  1. Add all ingredients except water to a food processor, and blend until almost completely smooth.
  2. Add water as processor is running, and blend until completely smooth.

One-Pan Garlic & Ginger Ground Pork Stir Fry

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As the week drags on, let’s admit it – getting dinner on the table becomes even *more* of a pain. Yes, the eating part is fun, but oh, lordy, the prepping sure ain’t no fun when you’re too tired for anything but fuzzy slippers and binge watching your Netflix faves. And you so badly want it to hurry up and be Friday already. That’s when I rely on fast dinners like this One Pan Garlic & Ginger Ground Pork Stir Fry to get me through.

Print Recipe
 One-Pan Garlic & Ginger Ground Pork Stir Fry
Course Main Dishes, One Pan Dinners
Cuisine Asian
Servings
Ingredients
Course Main Dishes, One Pan Dinners
Cuisine Asian
Servings
Ingredients
Instructions
  1. Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat, and add ½ tsp avocado oil.
  2. Add pork to skillet, and cook until browned.
  3. Remove pork from pan, and place to the side in a bowl.
  4. Reduce heat to medium, add remaining 1/2 tsp of oil, and add garlic and ginger. Stir, and cook for 1 minute, until fragrant. Do not let garlic brown (reduce heat if necessary).
  5. Add remaining vegetables, and cook at medium to medium-high heat until softened a bit, but not mushy.
  6. Reduce heat to low, add cooked pork to pan and 1 cup of black beans. Stir gently.
  7. Remove pan from heat, drizzle with soy sauce and sesame oil, and then stir to combine. Serve over rice and enjoy!