Black Bean "Stoup"

If anybody watches Rachel Ray, you will know what a stoup is. It's thicker than a soup, thinner than a stew. This is so healthy and so good. I usually make the whole recipe and eat it all myself since Ryan isn't a big fan (he doesn't like black beans). I love the flavors in this soup. I got this recipe off of a 30 minute meals episode and love it.

2 tablespoons extra- virgin olive oil
1 large onion, chopped
3 ribs celery with greens, chopped small
4 cloves garlic, chopped
1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and chopped
1 fresh bay leaf or 1 large dried bay leaf
1 red bell pepper, seeded and chopped
3 (15-ounce) cans black beans
2 tablespoons ground cumin
1 1/2 teaspoons ground coriander
Salt and pepper
2 to 3 tablespoons hot sauce (tobasco)
1 quart chicken or vegetable stock
1 (15-ounce) can diced tomatoes
Sour cream
Scallions

Heat a medium soup pot over medium high heat. Add 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil to the hot pot, then onion, celery, garlic, jalapeno, and bay leaf. Cook 3 to 4 minutes, then add red peppers and continue to cook. Drain 2 cans of beans and add them. Use a fork to mash up the beans in the remaining can. Stir the mashed beans into the pot and season with cumin, coriander, salt and pepper and hot sauce. Add stock and tomatoes to the stoup and bring to a bubble. Reduce heat and simmer 15 minutes over low heat. Add the lime juice. Remove and discard the bay leaf. Ladle up black bean soup and top with sour cream and scallions.

That is Rachel's instructions. When I make it, I cut all the veggies really small, like the size of the beans. I cook the celery by itself for a few minutes because I like it to be really cooked. Then I add the onion for a minute, then the other veggies and bay leaf. I don't usually have limes on hand so I skip the lime juice, and I never bother cutting up the green onions to top it with, although I think that would be really good. I use lots of tobasco and lots of sour cream (not as healthy, but still good). It's really good heated up so I recommend making the whole pot. Enjoy!