Give Me Strength Soup - Mexican Flavors

Give Me Strength Soup is a concept rather than a recipe. This is a soup to make when you feel: battered by the world, fed up with the rain and cold, like your mono is coming back, really tired, grumpy, and generally out-of-sorts.

Give Me Strength Soup has three requirements:
1. Lots of protein (to give you physical strength)
2. Spiciness and heat (to rekindle your warrior spirit)
3. Color (to remind you that life is art)

Soup is a wonderful food for many reasons. It's also a food you can easily make your own, with all your favorite comfort foods. This Give Me Strength Soup features Mexican flavors.

For protein, I included red lentils, tofu, black beans and garbanzo beans. I'll also add a grated cheese topping this evening.

For spiciness and heat - my fiery friend the jalapeno - a combo of freshly chopped and nacho sliced from a jar.

For color, I included carrots, green peppers, black beans, cilantro, and purple cabbage. The purple cabbage was inspired by the bold Purple Cabbage and Sweet Potato Soup this week at Gluten-Free Goddess.

I added rutabagas, potatoes, and rice for comfort.

Here's the recipe:

2 tbsp butter
1 tbsp olive oil
1 red onion, finely chopped
3 gloves garlic, minced
1 large potato, peeled and chopped in 1" pieces
1 medium large rutabaga, peeled and chopped in to 1/2" pieces
2 carrots, sliced
1/2 large green pepper, chopped
1 cup purple cabbage, chopped
1/2 large fresh jalapeno, finely chopped
5 cups water or vegetable stock
1/3 cup red lentils
10 oz can diced tomatoes & green chilies
15 oz can organic black beans, rinsed
6 oz tofu (cut into squares)
1 cup cooked rice
1/2 cup+ chopped cilantro
Salt & Pepper

In a large cauldron, melt the butter, add the olive oil and the red onion. Cook the onion for 3-4 minutes, then add the rutabaga, potato, carrots and garlic. Cover and cook on medium heat for 5-6 minutes. Add the purple cabbage and jalapeno and cook 1 more minute. Add the water and red lentils and bring to a boil. Season as desired. (Optional: Puree the diced tomatoes and green chilies.) Add the tomatoes. Lower the heat to low and simmer for 25 minutes. Add the black beans, and tofu and cook for 8-10 minutes. Add the rice and cilantro. Cook 2 minutes and check seasonings.

Ladle the soup into a large bowl and top with your choice of sour cream, grated cheddar, salsa, tortilla strips and nacho jalapenos.

Find a zen spot where you have a pretty view and won't be disturbed. Eat.