Black Bean Soup

I miss soup.  One of the easiest things for me to make when I'm busy and when I'm tired is to open a can of soup, and either toast or grill up a cheese sandwich.  Since it's wintertime right now, I think it's one of the things that I miss the most.  A lot of soup brands that you can buy on the shelves use "modified food starch" in their soups.  This means that they may use wheat starch.  Usually, they just don't know what kind is in there because they use whatever is least expensive at the time, whether it's corn, wheat, or whatever.  Because it can't be properly identified, it's usually not safe for people with gluten intolerance or Celiac.  Sometimes, you read a label, and you get lucky because the label says "modified food starch (corn)" and you feel okay about buying it.  But, those little gems are few and far between.  But, I like to make soups anyway.  They're generally pretty easy, and can be done in a slow cooker while you're at work/school any how.

Here's one that was adapted from simplygluten-free.com

Black Bean Soup

2 (15 oz.) cans of black beans rinsed and drained
2 c. gluten free chicken stock or broth (you can use vegetable as well, and I always use reduced sodium)
1/2c. - 3/4c. prepared salsa (depends on how hot you like it)
1 tbsp. ground cumin
salt
pepper
garlic powder
crushed red pepper
juice of one lime

Topping
sour cream
lime juice
fresh cilantro

1.  Place 1 can of rinsed/drained black beans, 2 c. stock or broth, and 1/2-3/4c. salsa in a blender and mix until smooth.

2.  Place mixture in saucepan over medium heat, add second can of beans, and stir.

3.  Season to taste with salt, pepper, garlic powder, crushed red pepper (take it easy on this one unless you like a TON of heat), and lime juice.

4.  Serve in bowls with sour cream, lime juice, and fresh chopped cilantro.

This one is awesome, and fast.  It serves about 4, so you can always double it and have leftovers.