Black Bean Soup

***Cook's note: Cut back on the carrot just a bit so you can achieve that really pretty black color for the soup.***

Ingredients:

1 TBSP olive oil
4 garlic cloves, roughly chopped
3/4 cup diced carrots
3/4 cup diced celery
1 cup diced onion
2 cans black beans, rinsed and drained
1 (3.5oz) can green chilies
3 1/2 cups beef broth
1 tsp salt
1/8 tsp black pepper
1/2 tsp chili powder
1/4 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp oregano
1 bay leaf
juice of 1 lime


Optional toppings: sour cream, tortilla chips, grated cheese, and chopped cilantro

Directions:

Place a large stock pot on the stovetop and set to medium-high heat. When pan is warm, add olive oil. Add the carrots, celery, onion, and garlic. Saute 4-5 minutes.

Add in the black beans, chilies, and beef broth. Stir to combine and then add the salt, pepper, chili powder, cumin, oregano, and bay leaf.

Simmer uncovered for about 20-25 minutes or until the carrots are tender. Remove from heat. Stir in the juice of one lime.

Place soup in blender or use an immersion blender. Puree soup until completely smooth.

Makes about 8 cups of soup. 1 cup of soup without toppings is 125 calories, 2 grams fat, and 8 grams of fiber.

Mini Carrot Cake Cups

Cups
1 yellow cake mix (9 oz)
1 1/2 tsp allspice
1 egg
2 T vegetable oil
2 medium carrots, peeled

Filling and Garnish
6 oz cream cheese, softened
3/4 cup powdered sugar
1/2 cup thawed frozen whipped topping
chopped walnuts (optional)

Preheat oven to 350. Spray mini muffin pan with nonstick spray. Combine cake mix, allspice, egg, and oil in bowl. (Note: Most cake mixes are about 18 oz. This calls for 9 oz. I used 1/2 of a regular cake mix. However, I think the small boxes of Jiffy cake mix are about 9 oz.) Stir until ingredients are moistened. Batter will be very thick. Grate carrots and stir 3/4 cup into batter. Set aside any remaining carrots for garnish, if desired. Divide batter evenly among mini muffin cups. Bake 11-13 minutes or until cups feel firm to the touch.

Meanwhile, mix together cream cheese and sugar until smooth. Fold in shipped topping. Spoon cream cheese mixture into ziplock bag.

Remove pan from oven. Press tops of cups with lighly floured mini-tart shaper to make slight indentations. If you don't have a mini-tart shaper, another object in your kitchen may work. Cool in pan 3 minutes. Carefully remove cups from pan and cool another 5 minutes. Trim corner of cream cheese-filled bag. Pipe filling evenly into cups. Garnish cups with chopped walnuts and remaining grated carrots, if desired.