Need recipes: vegetarian black bean chili and lentil soup

If anybody has good recipes for vegetarian black bean chili and for lentil soup, and for tortilla soup, I would appreciate it. Thanks.

Lynn's Paradise Cafe's black been chili is on line and can be found with Google. Always get comments when we make it. Very easy to make and you don't even drain the canned black beans.

Ellen,
I have an excellent recipe for (veg.) black bean soup from Crescent Dragonwagon and will post it as soon as I can.

I know there was a thread about lentil soup recipes a while back . Try a search on "lentil " and you should find it.

Deb

My parents were vegetarians when I was growing up. This is mom's lentil soup recipe.

Soak a bag of lentils for a couple of hours.

Chop up onions, garlic, carrots, celery and sweat them out in some butter until onions are clarified.
Add lentils and water to cover them. Add a couple of whole cloves and a bay leaf or two.
Bring to boil and then simmer. When lentils are cooked fish out cloves and bay leaves. Add sherry and mash up about half of the lentils.
Serve with a squeeze of lemon and sharp cheddar cheese.

I have no idea where mom got the recipe. The combination of lentils, cloves, sherry and lemon seems very odd to me now as a grown up but it's a comfort food for me and very economical.

Best,
Sarita

Oh! sorry...need to add some salt and pepper to taste.

I've used this recipe for years and I love it.

http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Lentil-Soup/Detail.aspx

But Now I want to try it with sherry and cloves!!!

I like the Bristol Bar & Grille's black bean soup. It looks to me that with the omission of a few ingredients it would still be very good and also acceptable for vegetarians. This is the complete recipe. Adapt as needed.

1 1/2 pounds cubed kielbasa sausage
1 1/2 pounds cubed bratwurst
2 pounds ground Italian sausage
1/4 cup olive oil
1 pound yellow onion, peeled and chopped
3 tablespoons minced garlic
4 15-ounce cans black beans, drained and rinsed
2 quarts water
2 ounces ham base
2 tablespoon lemon juice
2 bay leaves
1 teaspoon cumin
1 teaspoon oregano
1 teaspoon basil
1/2 teaspoon cayenne
1 teaspoon thyme
4 tablespoons dry parsley
1 teaspoon ground black pepper
4 tablespoons brown sugar
4 tablespoons cornstarch
1/2 cup Madeira wine
Sour cream and diced red onion for garnish

Place the cubed kielbasa and bratwurst on a sheet, and cook in a preheated 350-degree oven for 20 minutes.

Cook Italian sausage in a skillet, breaking up the meat as it browns.

In a large soup pot, heat the olive oil. When shimmery, add onions and garlic and cook for 4 minutes, until onion softens. Add beans, water, ham base, lemon juice and all the herbs and seasonings and bring to a boil.

Drain the Italian sausage, and add to the mixture. Drain the fat from kielbasa and bratwurst. Add to beans. Lower heat, and cook for 1 hour.

Dissolve cornstarch in the Madeira. Add to boiling soup. Cook for 2 minutes. Serve with sour cream and diced red onion garnish.

[Robin Garr]

... with the omission of a few ingredients it would still be very good and also acceptable for vegetarians. This is the complete recipe. Adapt as needed.

1 1/2 pounds cubed kielbasa sausage
1 1/2 pounds cubed bratwurst
2 pounds ground Italian sausage ...

Just leave all the meat out and it will be fine for vegetarians! Great work, Doogy ...

MichelleS...please let me know if it is good or it's all in my head.

Hippie kids forced to eat vegetarian here's some other things that I ate.

Staples in the kitchen:
Orange Juice
On a good day if my carnovore grandparents were visiting they blessfully brought sparkling water.
End result for me was...Orangina...
Moringstar links microwaved with a corn tortilla and thin line of French's mustard.
(in my head...it was a corn dog:-)
Quesodillas..cheese encased in flour or corn tortillas.
Swiss cheese makes good with hot Pace Picante sauce in a pinch (swiss was a lower fat content and a fave of my mom).
Since I make my own salsa I only stock Pace for my daughter who to this date doesn't know any better.

I have a VERY..VERY good recipe for tortilla soup and green chile chowder if anyone wants it.
Can flip to both sides.

Best,
Sarita

I've said it before - I love this recipe for French Lentil Soup. It is vegetarian and comes together quickly.


1 tablespoon olive oil
1 large yellow onion, diced
1 large carrot, peeled and cut into fine dice
4 cloves garlic, minced
2 teaspoons dried tarragon
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1 teaspoon paprika (Hungarian if you’ve got it)
1 can Muir Fire Roasted Diced Tomatoes
6 cups water or vegetable broth
2 cups French lentils
2 bay leaves
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
Fresh Ground Black Pepper



Preheat a large pot over medium heat and add oil. Sauté the onion and carrots for about 10 minutes, until onions have browned a bit. Add the garlic, tarragon, thyme, and paprika, and sauté for 2 more minutes. Add the tomatoes and a little splash of water if necessary, and stir to deglaze the pot. Cover and cook for 5 minutes.

Add the water, lentils, bay leaves, salt, and pepper, then cover and bring to a boil. Once the soup is boiling, reduce the heat to a simmer and cook, covered, for about 45 minutes, or until the lentils are tender. If the soup looks too thin, uncover and simmer for a couple more minutes. If it looks too thick, add a little more water.

Amy,
By "french lentils" do you mean green Lentils du Puy? ( I have have some stocked up... ) Yum, This maybe on my menu for next week....

Thanks,
Deb

Deb - You are correct. Those beautiful mottled blue-green gems are the ones.