Black Bean Soup

This is a really simple soup that only takes about 15 minutes from start to finish! It makes 2 servings, which is nice because I make it once and have lunch for two days. It helps that it is a quick, healthy alternative to eating a boring sandwich. To go with it today, I made a quesadilla filled with spinach, cilantro, black pepper and cheese.

Black Bean Soup

1/4 cup chopped onion
1 clove garlic, minced
dash of crushed red pepper flakes
1/2 tablespoon olive oil
1 cup spinach
1 can black beans
3 tablespoons salsa
2 tablespoons cilantro
additional chopped cilantro, optional
lime juice, optional

In a small saucepan, saute the onion, garlic, pepper flakes and spinach in the olive oil until the onion is tender and fragrant. Transfer that to a blender with 1/2 the can of black beans, the cilantro and the salsa. Blend until smooth. Pour back into the saucepan along with the rest of the beans. Heat through, about 5 minutes. Before serving, top with additional chopped cilantro and a splash of lime juice.