• Olive oil to coat bottom of sauce pan
• 2 garlic cloves, minced or use pre cut in a jar
• 1 cup chopped zucchini
• 1 cup chopped Mexican pepper (poblano or any other mild pepper)
• 32 oz boxed organic vegetable broth
• 14 oz container of fresh salsa with onion and cilantro from refrigerated section of store
• four to five tablespoons queso fresco Mexican cheese (use parmesan if don’t want to purchase)
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 16 oz can black beans, rinsed, drained
• four to five tablespoons of fresh lime juice

Makes four to five cups of soup.  Chop the zucchini and pepper into about ¼” cubes. Sauté both in olive oil and minced garlic in a two or three quart sauce pan for about five to ten minutes until slightly tender.  Add vegetable broth, cumin and salsa heat for about ten minutes.  Add the black beans heat for a few more minutes. Chop any extra toppings and squeeze lime while soup is cooking.  Add about a tablespoon of lime juice, add a tablespoon of cheese and any extra toppings to soup right before serving.

Extra toppings: avocado, radishes sliced thinly, cilantro, a few finely chopped green onion pieces, any kind of tortilla chips I use organic blue corn and flax seed

I made this soup for the first time last month.  I tried several different recipes and this one was created from the ingredients I liked best.  It uses some pre-packaged goods for a very quick dish.  I have also added left over brown rice for a more filling meal.