Switching to vegetarianism is no great sacrifice, trust me. It does however, require one to venture outside one’s usual cooking comfort zones. And that has turned out to be a good thing for me.

I made a soup yesterday with the most amazing flavors. My poor photography does it no justice at all but trust me when I say it’s delicious. I don’t really DO recipes but I’ll provide you with the key ingredients and “close enough” quantities and hope you can figure it out from there.

Tangy Bean and Rice Soup with Eastern Spices

1 28 oz. roasted organic tomatoes (I get mine at Whole Foods)
1 15 oz. can organic kidney beans, rinsed well
1 15 oz. can organic navy beans, rinsed well
10 cloves roasted garlic (you can buy these at most grocery store olive bars)
24 oz. organic vegetable stock (I love Pacific brand because it no additives)
1 C. cooked brown rice
2 t. curry (taste test and don’t overdo)
3 t. turmeric (key ingredient)
2 big pinches Mexican oregano (if you can’t find Mexican oregano, just omit it!)
a few dashes organic garlic granules (also from Whole Foods)
fresh ground sea salt to taste

Put all ingredients together in a large stock pot and simmer over medium heat for twenty to thirty minutes. Don’t let it boil, just simmer.

Adjust seasoning.

The flavors meld quite nicely. You can add a few bay shrimp if you feel you need meat. Enjoy!