Black bean soup doesn’t have a glamorous reputation for sure… it’s predictable and dependable, a sort of teacher’s pet among soups, in fact.  And people tend to scoff at the teacher’s pet, which isn’t always deserved.  This pet has outstanding qualities; it is economical, tasty, versatile, gluten free, vegan/vegetarian if desired, freezes well, and best of all, it comes together very quickly out of not too many pantry staples. This version uses turkey sausage, but other meats or no meats are also delicious options. Canned beans make it extra quick, but dried beans are preferable if you have the time.  Just soak about 1 1.2 cups of them over night in a pan of cold water and they will be ready to go! Read More