Easy Black Bean Soup 
Protein, vitamins A and C, B vitamins, and folate boost your baby’s cell, brain, and nervous system development, and vitamin C helps your immunity and keeps your gums and teeth healthy.
SERVES 7; MAKES 7 CUPS
THE key to a really good black bean soup is not only the soup, but the fixin’s! Think: Cheddar cheese, avocado, diced tomatoes, scallions, chopped cilantro, and sour cream. Canned beans are a real time-saver. The spices and garnishes add color and a burst of flavor. More stock or water can be substituted for the tomato juice. Need more protein? Add cooked chicken or tofu (if vegetarian or vegan) to the soup. The soup keeps refrigerated for one week, and it can be frozen for up to one month. Slow cooker/Instant Pot instructions follow.
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 large onion, chopped
2 carrots, sliced
½ red bell pepper, cored, seeded, and chopped (optional)
2 garlic cloves, crushed
2 teaspoons ground cumin
2 teaspoons dried oregano or basil
1 teaspoon chili powder
2 (15-ounce) cans black beans, drained and rinsed
5 cups stock or water, or more as needed
1 cup tomato or V8 juice
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Fresh cilantro, for garnish
• Heat the olive oil in a 6-quart saucepan over medium-high heat until hot. Add the onion and sauté for 3 minutes. Add the carrots, and the bell pepper, if using, garlic, cumin, oregano, and chili powder and sauté for 3 minutes. Add the beans, stock, and juice and bring to a boil, then lower the heat and simmer, uncovered, for 20 minutes, or until the carrots are tender.
• Allow the soup to cool slightly, then puree 3 cups of it. Return the pureed soup to the saucepan and stir. Add stock or water to thin the soup, if desired. Adjust the seasoning, add the cilantro and your desired fixin’s, and serve.
SLOW COOKER OR INSTANT POT INSTRUCTIONS:
• Use 3½ cups of stock instead of 5 cups. Because this recipe calls for canned black beans, the cooking time is short, even in a slow cooker or Instant Pot. When the carrots are soft, the soup is essentially ready, usually after 4 hours on high heat.
• Using a large skillet instead of a saucepan, or your Instant Pot, sauté the onion as directed in Step 1, then add the carrots, bell pepper (if using), garlic, cumin, oregano, and chili powder, and sauté for 3 minutes.
• Transfer the contents of the skillet to the slow cooker, then add the black beans, stock, and tomato juice. Cover and cook on HIGH for 6 hours. Finish the soup as directed in Steps 2 and 3.
1 cup black bean soup (no fixin’s): Calories: 237 cals; Protein: 13 g; Carbohydrates: 33 g; Fat: 6 g; Fiber: 10 g; Sodium: 520 mg; Vitamin A: 4,867 IU; Vitamin C: 45 mg; Niacin: 4 mg; Thiamine: 0.3 mg; Riboflavin: 0.4 mg; Folate: 104 mcg; Copper: 0.4 mg; 2 CARBS