Sometimes it’s hard to believe Mr. Prevention and I have been living in Michigan for a year and a half already. Fortunately, we’ve enjoyed 2 full summers. Unfortunately, we’re barely surviving our second winter. Also unfortunate is the fact that this winter is supposedly a “typical” Michigan winter.
But, I’m not so sure. I mean, at several points in the past week, our town and nearby cities have instructed people to stay inside. Not just a suggestion to stay inside, but penalizing those who were driving unnecessarily by way of a lovely ticket. This is all new to me. I come from the other side of the lake where “lake effect snow” something I had heard about and never experienced until Michigan.
My how things have changed!
What hasn’t changed? My husband and his desire to live in the most basic and simple of ways.
This week I caved and called an interior designer. I just can’t live many more days in a half empty first floor of my house. We can’t decide on furniture (much less agree on a NEED for furniture), and we most certainly can’t seem to carve out the time to do any sort of furniture shopping. I shop online for nearly everything, but I can’t commit to furniture with only a web image to sell me on the piece.
Hence, I’m vetoing his vote to live in an empty house and I’m putting matters into a professional’s hands. Happy wife makes for a happy life.
When we have new people in our house I always feel the need to explain my “winter photography studio” — you know, my dining room littered with random plates, bowls, utensils, fabric swatches, white boards, lights, etc. It’s quite the site of disarray at all times.
I don’t think the interior designer really understood what a “food blogger” is and what we do, but that’s quite alright. She can do interiors and I can do food. Healthy, delicious, not-so-fabulously-photographed-without-natural-light food. She can judge my boring house by the looks of it, but you can’t judge this soup by the less-than-stellar looks of it. Mr. Prevention and I literally fought over the leftovers of this vegetarian soup made vegan without the cheese on top.
(But I think you want the cheese on top 😉 )
- 2 poblano chiles
- 2 Tbsp raw shelled pumpkin seeds (pepitas)
- 1 large dried pasilla or ancho chile, stemmed, seeds removed
- 1 Tbsp olive oil
- 1 medium onion, coarsely chopped
- 4 garlic cloves, peeled, crushed
- 1 (14.5 oz) can fire-roasted or plain diced tomatoes
- 4 cups low-sodium chicken broth
- ½ tsp Kosher salt
- 2 (14.5 oz) cans low-sodium black beans, drained
- ½ cup crumbled queso fresco or feta
- Lime wedges (for serving)
- Preheat broiler. Line a baking sheet with foil and place poblanos on the baking sheet. Broil peppers 1-2 minutes per side until well charred on all sides. Transfer peppers to a ziptop bag and allow to steam for 10-15 minutes. Peel, seed, and finely chop.
- Meanwhile, toast seeds in a small dry skillet over medium-high heat. Stir seeds occasionally, cooking until golden, about 5 minutes; transfer to a plate. Toast pasilla chile in same skillet until softened and pliable, about 1 minute; transfer to plate.
- Heat oil in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Add onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until onion is soft and golden brown, 8–10 minutes. Add garlic and cook an additional 1-2 minutes. Transfer to a blender, add tomatoes and pasilla chile, and blend until smooth.
- Return tomato mixture to saucepan and cook over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally, until thickened, 6–8 minutes. Stir in broth; season with salt. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat, and simmer until soup is slightly thickened, 10–15 minutes. Stir in black beans and poblano chiles. Cook, stirring occasionally, until warmed through, about 5 minutes.
- Serve soup topped with queso fresco and pumpkin seeds on top and lime wedges alongside.
 The end of the week is coming near and we have zero plans for Super Bowl. Paaathetic!
Be well,
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Totally perfect for the current six degrees it is outside!
You had me at black bean. Now I’m going to need a bigger spoon ; ) Slurp.
The best hubby’s agree with “Happy Wife, Happy Life”. I can totally picture that strange stare that people give when you tell them you are a food blogger. LOL. Oh, well. If they look at your wonderful blog and recipes, they will get it. This another fantastic recipe.
That looks delicious. And hooray for new furniture! I’d just really like your refrigerator 😀
Winter has been brutal this year. I’d say it’s a “true” winter but maybe not a “typical” one. Although what we get on this end of the state is usually a bit different, it has been colder and snowier than normal here in Windsor.
I’m not the “decorating” type. I usually buy things I like but none of it really goes together. I can sort of force things to go together, but then it never really feels like it’s my style. I’d definitely need a decorator. . . . maybe yours can design a whole “Winter Photography Studio” for you.