Operation Eat Like an Athlete, Volume 3

A couple of weeks ago I went to my super-cool friend Lori's birthday party at the Greenhouse Tavern (love!) and met her boyfriend Mehul.  I'm not sure how we hadn't met before, because he rocks.  He's a cyclist who loves his Vitamix and enjoys talking history.  My kinda guy!

Anyway, last week Mehul facebooked me with a link to a Vitamix soup he and Lori made.  Do you not have a Vitamix? You have some other blender?  THROW IT AWAY AND GET ONE NOW.

Seriously--I loved my Vitamix before but now I love it even MORE MORE MORE because I can make soup in it.  Like, start to finish.  One blender.  It even HEATS it for crying out loud! I didn't believe it either until I saw it myself.

My thing is to make a big vat of soup or stew in the winter on a weekend and then eat it all week for lunch.  Nothing better than a big mug of soup, a piece of fruit or a salad, and a crusty roll.  I can even eat that at my desk while I grade.

(Yes, I know you're not supposed to eat and grade and stuff, but there's only so many hours in the day...so don't do that.  Relax and stuff.  TST = Bad Example. Yeah.)

So when I saw the nutritional value on this soup: 110 calories, low-fat and high protein...I jumped.  Plus, I heart all things black bean.

A few things:  I didn't have a jalapeno, so I added a palmful of chili powder and a few drops of Tabasco.  I also, at Mehul's suggestion, added more garlic and more veggie stock.

The result?  Steamy, hot, tasty goodness in my Vitamix.  And then in my tummy.

The best part is it tastes really creamy and full of fat, but it totally is not!  I love tricking myself.

Not the greatest picture, but trust me on this one: TASTEEEEEEE.

This will be a keeper during the winter and spring months for sure, and will make a tasty post-run lunch!