Mexican Bean Soup: 1 (32-oz.) box vegetable broth 1 onion, chopped 1 teaspoon minced fresh garlic 2 teaspoons ground cumin 1 teaspoon ground oregano 1 (15 oz.) can low sodium black beans, drained and rinsed 1 (15 oz.) can low sodium white beans, drained and rinsed 1 (15 oz.) can low sodium kidney beans, drained and rinsed 1 can fire-roasted diced tomatoes with green chilies ⅛ teaspoon chipotle chili powder (optional)
Black Bean Burger: 2 (15 oz.) cans black beans, drained and rinsed 1 tbsp olive oil 1/2 onion, chopped 3 cloves garlic, minced 1/2 cup mashed cauliflower 1/4 cup ground flax seeds 1/2 tsp ground cumin 1/2 tsp salt
Place ¼ cup of the broth in a large saucepan. Add the onion and garlic and cook for about 4 minutes, stirring frequently. Add the cumin and oregano and stir for another minute. Then add the remaining broth, beans, tomatoes, and chipotle chili powder, if using. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat, cover, and cook over low heat for about 20 minutes.
While the soup cooks, preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Then, heat the olive oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Saute the onion until soft, about 5 minutes, then add in the garlic and stir for one minute. Remove from the heat. In a large bowl, combine the sautéed onion and garlic, beans, ground flax, cumin and salt. Use a fork to stir the mixture, mashing the beans to help the batter stick together. Scoop out the black bean mixture and use your hands to shape it into a burger about 3/4-inch thick. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Bake the burgers at 350ºF for 15 minutes, then use a spatula to gently flip them over and bake for another 5 to 10 minutes.
