… and the leaves start to change colors, my thoughts turn to soups, stews, and hibernating with comfort food. But I really shouldn’t be curling up with a big plate of nachos, right, so I turn to one of my favorite recipes for this time of year - Weight Watchers Spicy Black Bean Soup. My sister gave me this recipe a couple of years ago and I’ve used it so much, and it is so simple, I don’t even need to pull out the black bean splattered copy anymore. This recipe is perfect for so many reasons … it’s filling, it’s low-calorie, it’s high in fiber, and it’s so flavorful that it’s very satisfying. Here’s the details … 
- Points – 3
- Servings – 8
- Prep time – 20 min.
- Cooking time – 30 min.
- Level of Difficulty – Moderate (this is debatable, I would say easy)
*the key to thickening up this soup without flour? Pureeing some of the beans before cooking it. You’ll love the stick-to-your-ribs texture that results.
- Cooking spray
- 1 medium onion, finely chopped
- 4 medium garlic cloves, minced
- 3 15 oz. cans black beans, undrained
- 1/2 tsp red pepper flakes, or to taste (this means I add another 1 tsp!)
- 1 tsp ground cumin
- 14 1/2 fat-free chicken or vegetable broth (I use vegetable for a healthier soup that tastes just as good)
- 10 oz canned tomatoes
- 1/2 cup chopped jalapeno pepper, or to taste (see red pepper flakes)
- 11 oz canned yellow corn, drained
1. Coat bottom of a large stockpot with cooking spray. Add onion and garlic and cook, stirring frequently, until onions are soft but not brown, about 5 minutes.
2. Place one can of beans in blender; add sautéed onion mixture, red pepper flakes and cumin. Cover and blend on high until smooth, about 30 seconds. Pour mixture back into stockpot.
3. Place second can of beans and broth in blender and puree until smooth; add to stockpot.
4. Stir third can of beans (DO NOT PUREE), tomatoes, jalapeno peppers, and corn into stockpot. Bring to a boil, lower heat to medium and simmer for 20 to 25 minutes. Yields about 1 1/2 cups per serving.
I like it with a couple (a serving or less) tortilla chips on the side. Also 1 1/2 cups seems like a big serving to me, because it is pretty filling. Oh, and if you’re not sweating when you’re done, it’s not hot enough. Enjoy!
