Happy Soup Time

Ok everybody, it's time to make soup. It's fall and it's so damn cold in Montreal and it's also frightfully damp, grey, and depressing. Therefore, it's Happy Soup Time. I will give you all a wonderful recipe for Black Bean Soup that I got ahold of when I worked at the Glen Sutton Outdoor Lodge.

Let me first preface this by clarifying that I am NOT A GOOD COOK IN ANY WAY and no less than nothing about food, but this soup has kept me fairly well nourished throughout CEGEP and now in University as well. It can also be vegetarian if you use vegetable stock instead of chicken stock.

RUBY'S FAVORITE BLACK BEAN SOUP
1-Chop up two onions (regular white ones)
2-Put the onions in a frying pan with one tablespoon of olive oil (actually the quantity of olive oil isn't that important, just use what you need to lubricate your pan)
3-Put a tablespoon of chili powder (2 tablespoons if you like spicy things like I do) and sprinkle red pepper flakes, to your liking, on the onions.
4-Stir this mixture around in your frying pan with the heat on medium for 5-8 minutes.
5-Take out a pot and insert: a can of corn, a can of black beans (drain the juice and RINSE thoroughly), a can of diced tomatoes (drain the juice), a box of chicken stock, and finally your now-spicy onions.
6-Bring this mixture to a BOIL, then turn down the heat and simmer it for about 10-15 minutes. Don't forget to stir periodically.
7-Puree the entire thing for a lovely smooth texture. :)
Two people can survive on this for up to 3 days.

This soup can be spicy, so be aware of that if you don't like spicy food. I love it because it tastes like liquified tacos even though there's no meat involved. It's hearty, will help unplug your nose if you have a cold, and contains a lot of beans so you definitely won't be constipated after eating it ;)