Because I'm a Healthy Girl (umm...ignore the part from my last post about my feast on my really cheesy Award-Winning Macaroni and Cheese)

Alan and the boys went camping this weekend (with his mom and without me...hence the Weekend O'Julie plans), and he always likes to have soup when he comes home from a trip. For the most part, since this past December (when I began taking magnesium supplements - which EVERYONE needs to take...I won't nag too much in this post, but DO SOME INTERNET RESEARCH until my lecture is ready), I have been trying to eat healthier and trying to incorporate more vegetarian meals. The recipe for this one I got from a turnstyle of recipes at Wal-Mart, of all places. Not the location I usually think of as a Mecca for Health. But this was - again - delish and easy. And super healthy and fiberlicious and colorful and all those things that health gurus tell us we need. And Alan has told me about four times that he "really liked that soup". So, that's what makes it a keeper. I modified the ingredients a bit (mostly more of everything), and it seemed to work really well.

Veggie Black Bean Soup
Prep Time: 10 min
Total Time: 25 min
Makes: about six servings (depending on your serving size)

• 1 small onion, chopped
• 1 cup carrots, chopped
• 2-3 stalks chopped celery
• 1 clove garlic (more or less to taste)
• 1/8 tsp. freshly ground pepper
• 2 cups veggie broth (couldn't find this, used chicken broth instead)
• 2 cups torn fresh spinach
• 1 14.5 oz. can crushed tomatoes (I just finely chopped up enough fresh tomatoes - yum - to make 2 cups)
• 1 can chickpeas, rinsed and drained
• 1 cup black beans, rinsed and drained

Coat large Dutch oven with nonstick cooking spray. Heat over medium heat. Add onion, carrots, celery, garlic, and pepper; cook 5-7 minutes, or until veggies are tender. Add broth, spinach, tomatoes, chickpeas, and black beans; bring to boiling. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer for 10 minutes.