Easy Meatless Meal

Adding in a meatless meal a few times a week can be good for your waistline, wallet, and the environment. Substituting plant-based proteins (such as beans, lentils, and soy-based products such as tofu and tempeh) for your usual meat is less expensive and offers a heart healthy source of high fiber protein. Meatless is also good for the environment as farming livestock generates greenhouse gases.

Here is an easy recipe from The Vegetarian Time's Low-Fat & Fast cookbook. Going meatless has never been so easy or delicious.

Spicy Southwestern Black Bean Soup

Make this soup a complete meal by either adding frozen chopped spinach to the soup or serving it over fresh wilted spinach and cooked brown rice.

Ingredients

1.5 teaspoons olive oil
1 large onion, coarsely chopped
One 4-ounce can chopped green Chile peppers
2 cloves garlic, minced
Two 15.5 ounce cans black beans with liquid
2 teaspoons chili powder, or to taste
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice, or to taste
One 28-ounce can diced tomatoes or fire-roasted diced tomatoes, undrained
1 cup water as need to thin soup
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
Optional: sliced avocado for garnish

1. In a large soup pot or Dutch oven, heat oil.
2. Add onion and cook, stirring, over medium-high heat until onion is transparent, about 3 minutes.
3. Add chiles and garlic; cook, stirring, 2 minutes more.
4. Add all remaining ingredients except cilantro; stir and simmer about 10 minutes.
5. Stir in cilantro just before serving. Garnish with sliced avocado if desired.

Makes 6 servings

Nutrition Per Serving:

Calories 199; Protein 11g; Fat 1g; Carbohydrates 37g; Cholesterol 0; Sodium 336mg; Fiber 8g