Muffin Tin Monday- Black Bean and Sausage Soup

(Starting in the upper left corner, circling around clockwise) 

Mini Egg/Nut/Soy free Chocolate Chip Cupcake, Green Grapes, Cheese Wheel, Sweet Potato Chips, Black Bean and Sausage Stew (see recipe, below), Baby Carrots

Today was one of those days where I knew I had to be on my "A-game" in order to get through the day. Busy, busy! I put dinner in the crock-pot so I wouldn't have to worry about the proverbial question, "What's for dinner?" come five o'clock, after a long day.

Katy was a little anxious for her dinner, so you will notice the bite out of her cheese wheel before I got to take a picture. I'm happy to report, Katy most of her meal- all but two carrots and a couple grapes. She loved the Black Bean and Sausage stew- definitely going to have to make that again!

Black Bean and Sausage Stew

3 Cans (15 oz. each) black beans, drained and rinsed
1 1/2 cups chopped onions
1 1/2 cups fat-free reduced-sodium chicken broth
1 cup sliced celery
1 cup chopped bell pepper
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 1/2 tsp. dried oregano
1 pound cooked ground sausage

Combine all ingredients in the slow cooker, except sausage. Cover and cook on low six to eight hours. Transfer about 1 1/2 cups bean mixture from slow cooker and puree (an immersion blender works great for this!). Return to slow cooker, along with the sausage. Cover and cook on low for an additional 15 minutes. Serves six.

*The original recipe called for sliced sausage but I think the ground kind works really well in here.
**I didn't do it this time, but I think that putting this stew over white or brown rice would be divine. Of course, I just like rice in general, so I could be a bit biased.... ;-P
***Ted likes to add a little heat to his stew, so red pepper flakes would be a wonderful addition.
****Last but no least, I believe that this is more a "chili" consistency than a "stew" recipe with the ground sausage. A tasty chili recipe, I might add... one that just might show up at a certain annual fall Kinetic Church chili cook off.... just saying... ;-D