Southwestern Pork and Bean Soup

I couldn't believe how easy and fast this Southwestern Pork and Bean Soup came together. And it was delicious too! This recipe, adapted from one from the National Pork Board, is a veritable nutritional powerhouse.

It's low in fat, cholesterol and sodium and loaded with fiber ... almost half-a-day's requirement ... folate, and potassium. And the lycopene in the tomatoes may help protect against heart disease and cancer.

I used, however, not only canned Mexican-style tomatoes but ones with chiles ... and it turned out SPICYYYY! So if you'd prefer a tamer version, use regular chopped tomatoes and a small can of mild Ortegas.

I also crushed the oregano and lavender (I add culinary lavender to EVERYTHING ... it puts that "What-IS-that-flavor" question on everyone's lips) in my mortar and pestle to release their oils. The original recipe called for just chili powder. But I added a bunch of other stuff.

These spices produce lot more layered  aromatics that you can bring out even more with the cheese and cilantro. So Delicious and Follow Your Heart have terrific cheddar and even Mexican Blend alternatives for the non-dairy like me.

I paired this updated take on pork and beans with a slice of Ortega-laden gluten-free cornbread made from a mix and a simple green salad with oil and vinegar. It doesn't get any better than that!

AuthorJill PlaceCategoryDairy-Free, Food-Sensitive, Gluten-Free, Paleo, SoupsDifficultyBeginner