Soy Chorizo - I could go on and on about how much I love this stuff. It elevates simple soups, chilies, stews, hashes, tacos, eggs... pretty much everything, to something amazing. Plus the guilt factor is reduced since its vegan and gluten free. My family is neither vegan or gluten free, but I guess it's kind of a bonus when I throw something together that happens to be and I can feed a crowd without worrying about leaving any one out.
This soup comes together super fast, and freezes well - up to 3 months in an airtight container. Perfect for when my ~2 year old is running around the house yelling 'shoop shoop shoop!' and will not wait for me to make a soup from scratch (sort of), and I refuse to keep canned soups in the house... unless it's for the one meal I use them for. But I'll save that one for another post.
INGREDIENTS
1 Tbsp canola oil
1 large or 2 small sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into about 1/2 inch cubes
1 medium onion, small dice
2 celery stalks, small dice
2 peeled carrots, small dice
2 cans low sodium black beans, drained and rinsed
1 12 oz package Trader Joe's Soy Chorizo
1 quart low sodium chicken stock
1 quart water
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 tsp cumin
salt and pepper
1 tsp smoked paprika (optional)
squeeze of lime juice (optional)
Heat oil in a dutch oven or large heavy bottomed pot over medium heat. Add the onion, carrot, celery, and a pinch of salt. Cover and cook for 8 - 10 minutes, stirring every couple of minutes till vegetables are softened.
Remove soy chorizo from casing and add it to the pot. Increase heat to medium high and stir well, breaking up the sausage to a fine crumble. Cook for 5 minutes. Add cumin, smoked paprika and garlic and cook for 1 minute. Pour in the stock and water, add the sweet potato and black beans. When the soup starts to simmer, cover and dial heat back to low and let it go (stirring occasionally) for about 20 minutes, or until the potatoes are tender but not falling apart.
Serve with a wedge of lime and your favorite tortilla chips or crusty bread.
When my mother first introduced me to this, I was a little skeptical. Especially when she said it had no oil in it (except for the oil in tahini). But this 'hummus' is so addicting and satisfying, you would never guess it doesn't contain the 1/2 cup of oil that a batch of traditional hummus normally calls for.
You do need a food processor to make this - there really is no other way around it. I suppose it can be made in a blender (you'd need a really powerful one, aka expensive), although I've never attempted it. It is so easy to make and comes together in a couple of minutes - you will never go back to store bought hummus again. You may even never go back to traditional hummus!
Not only does this dip bump up a crudités platter, I think its best served with roasted plantain or sweet potato chips. Its pictured here with the latter, and if you haven't already discovered the magic of black beans and sweet potatoes together, you are in for a treat. This hummus is vegan and GF, and remains so with Trader Joe's Sweet Potato Chips.
INGREDIENTS
1 15 oz can low sodium black beans
drained and rinsed
1 tbsp tahini paste
1 large or 2 small-medium garlic cloves
1 tsp cumin
pinch cayenne pepper
pinch of salt
juice of half a lemon or lime
2 - 3 tbsp water
Add all ingredients except the water to a food processor fitted with a normal blade attachment. Process for about 30 seconds, then stop to scrape down the sides of the processor. Turn on and slowly add the water through the feed tube 1 tbsp at a time until your hummus has your desired consistency. Let the processor go for another 30 seconds to minute after this, then serve! Keep the leftovers (unlikely) in a tightly covered bowl up to 1 week.
