#WWHD: Crockpot Black Bean Soup w/ a Cilantro Yogurt Sauce

When I think of comfort food, I think of soup on a cool winter night. When I think of a work night, I think of something I can heat up quickly -- without much thought or energy. This black bean soup meets both of those requirements -- comfort & quickness. It takes a while to prepare, but once done, it can be heated in the microwave for 2 minutes and be nice and steamy! I use a slow cooker to make this dish, and there have been times where I put all the ingredients in in the morning, and come home to a house smelling like soup. You can also make this on the weekend and portion it out in freezer bags, so you later can just grab one, heat, and go!

This go-around, I decided to get creative and add a cilantro-yogurt sauce. The recipe is delicious on its own (I've even used it as a spread on a grilled chicken sandwich,) but feel free to let your creative wings soar! Add this yogurt sauce, add some sliced avocado, add some goat cheese crumbles -- do what you want! With this soup made of one of nature's most protein-and-fiber-filled foods, you really can't go wrong.

Servings: about 5 (1 and a half cups of soup each)

What You'll Need:

• 1 bag (16 oz) of dry black beans (about $1.30 at the store)
• 1 medium or large sweet potato
• 1 red onion
• 4 cups chicken broth (go for "low-sodium" to avoid bloating later-on!)
• Some people use vegetable broth -- feel free if you're vegetarian -- but since this soup has no meat, I find that the chicken broth adds some flavor!
• Seasonings (they seem like alot, but they will dilute when the starch from the beans is released)
• 4 tsp salt
• 1 tbsp cayenne pepper
• 1 tbsp cumin
• 1 tbsp chili powder
• A dash of allspice, if you have it
• OPTIONAL: a cup of fresh chopped cilantro (a bunch is $0.50 at the grocery store)
• For the sauce:
• 1/2 a plain greek yogurt package
• 1 cup of fresh chopped cilantro

The Step-by-Step:

1. The night before, chop the onion into small pieces and sweet potato into chunks. Set aside in the fridge. Place black beans and half the chicken broth in the slow cooker, and let soak overnight. (Some people soak the beans in water, then drain it in the morning-- forget it, you want the FLAVOR to penetrate the beans.)
2. The next morning, add in the onion and sweet potato to the beans. Add the seasonings on top. Turn on the slow cooker to "low" and let cook for 8 hours. The day is yours!
3. When the 8 hours is up (your home will smell like a fiesta) -- turn the slow cooker to "off" and in small batches, scoop the soup mixture and blend it in a blender, returning the blended soup to the pot. This allows the insides of the beans to be released, combining with the sweet potato to become a creamy (and delicious) puree. Keep repeating until the soup becomes the texture you want it to be. (I prefer it to be all creamy, but some people like it half & half -- creamy with some whole beans in there -- up to you.)
4. If you're making the yogurt sauce, all you have to do is blend the cilantro with a little bit of water (about a tablespoon) to make a paste. Then, mix in the paste to the yogurt. This is a delicious alternative to sour cream (plus, the yogurt adds lots of protein.)

Top the soup with the sauce, some salsa, avocado, and/or goat cheese crumbles. The possibilities are endless!

xoxo n

For more info about the #WWHD feature, please see the below post, or head on over to The Gym Bag Diaries!