2 tablespoons olive oil
1 onion, diced
2 garlic cloves, peeled
and minced
1 red or green bell pepper,
diced
2 teaspoons ground cumin
6 cups cooked black beans
(about 1 pound dried or
4 14.5-ounce cans)
5–6 cups water
1 tablespoon tomato paste
Salt and pepper to tasteBLACK BEAN SOUP
MAKES 12 SERVINGSAt Haramara, soups like this one are the basis for light but nutritious
midday meals. This soup freezes well, so it’s worth making a big batch
and reserving the leftovers for lunch throughout the week.1 Heat the oil in a large pot over medium
heat. Add the onion and stir frequently until
wilted, about 5 minutes. Add garlic and bell
pepper and cook until bell pepper softens,
2–3 more minutes. Stir in cumin.
2 Add beans, water, and tomato paste, and
bring to a simmer. Reduce heat to medium-
low, cover, and cook, stirring occasionally,
about 20 minutes. Add more water if mixture
becomes too thick.
3 Remove about 2 cups of soup and blend in
a blender until smooth; return blended portion
to pot. Season with salt and pepper to taste.You might think that complicated
techniques lie behind the magic that
retreat-center cooks work on their
raw ingredients, but by mastering a
handful of simple cooking methods,
you’ll be able to prepare just about
any vegetable in a way that maxi-
mizes its flavor. Most vegetables can
be steamed, sautéed, roasted, or
grilled, but each technique imparts
its own character, and which one you
choose depends on the finished dish
you have in mind.
Craving a cool, crisp vegetable
salad? Steaming yields fresh-tasting,
bright vegetables with a bite to
them—think summer beans, snap
peas, baby carrots, and just-tender
summer squash. Toss them in a vinai-
grette and eat on their own, or add
them to cooked grains or beans for
a heartier meal.
Want to cook firm root vegetables
like sweet potatoes and beets for a
warm side dish or salad? Roasting
concentrates their sugars for a deep,
mellow flavor. Need a fast, flavorful
way to cook sliced vegetables like
zucchini, eggplant, or bell peppers
for tucking into sandwiches? A few
minutes on a hot grill yield tender
veggies that carry the flavor of the
marinade you brush over them
before and after grilling.
By applying different techniques to
different vegetables and taking note
of how they transform, says Gutiér-
rez, “you’ll develop a kind of sixth
sense” for preparing vegetables that
translates into a broad repertoire
of healthful meals—and you’ll have
plenty of ideas for what to do with
the vegetables you bring home from
the farmers’ market.
master a few
techniques
106 YOGAJOURNAL.COM YOUR 6-WEEK YOGA GUIDE TO BUILD STRENGTH