Beans, beans the magical fruit...

One of the few really healthy foods that Ellie will eat on a regular basis is black beans. She loves them. Always asks for seconds. Unless I make black bean soup, which makes me irrationally angry. Because I love black bean soup and it's so stinkin' good for you and SHE LIKES BLACK BEANS DAMMIT SO WHY WON'T SHE EAT THE SOUP? Recent comments about soup from cans has led me to the conclusion that she doesn't like black bean soup because it doesn't come from a can.
Now, I love me some canned beans. Nothing makes a quickie dinner like some black beans and cheese quesadillas. I have no idea if that word is spelled right or not as Firefox apparently doesn't do Spanish.
Anyway, beans from a can are like one of God's little gifts. But when I make black bean soup, I like to make it from dried beans, and therein lies the kicker for Ellie, I think.

So, imagine my shock and surprise when I made black bean soup for the first time this winter and not only did Ellie eat it, but so did everyone else. It was a Christmas miracle of dinnertime proportions! And I made quesadillas with a different kind of cheese, which they all voluntarily sampled and liked.

Now, Ellie and Sam had to play with their quesadilla triangles and pretend that they were wearing bow ties. But hey, I can deal with a little bit of horse play with the food so long as it gets eaten.

Black bean soup, topped with cheddar cheese and sour cream, served with cheese quesadillas, a dinner success. And really that huge glop of sour cream is a trick of the camera angle. I swear.

If you're interested here's what I did:
Quick soak the beans by boiling them for a few minutes then letting them sit and soak for several hours. Drain and rinse.
In the same pot, saute sliced onion and bell peppers until tender. Add garlic, cumin, cilantro and a dash of chili powder (like cayenne or smoked chili powder not the kind you flavor chili with). Add the beans and a quart or so of water to the pot and let simmer for about 2 hours. About 20 minutes before serving, check for salt. It's going to need a bunch so keep tasting until it tastes right. Add a bit of pepper and a couple of spoons of salsa and it should be good to go. Serve with cheese, sour cream and salsa as desired.
Sides can be quesadillas, salad, corn chips or nothing at all.

If you just gotta have some meat in there, a bit of leftover ham is good as is a bit of good sausage. But we like it as a protein rich, but meatless meal.