Adzuki Bean Soup with Sweet Vegetables

I'm hitting a road block in the kitchen. I tend to eat the same foods over and over again and I get bored and restless. I decided to go back to the beginning of it, the very first cookbook I received that helped me make the transition to veganism: The Kind Diet by Alicia Silverstone. Not only does she have amazing recipes but she talks about different plant-based ingredients and why they are so packed with nutrients. That combined with this super cool weather, I decided to make soup with some awesome beans.


Adzuki beans have potassium, folate, magnesium and B vitamins and are packed with fiber and protein. They can help you feel fuller longer and can be added to your diet when you're trying to build muscle mass. I'm still going strong with my strength training so adding beans to my diet is everything now. Instead of always relying on tofu or mock meats, I want to start focusing on beans again.

I soaked the beans in water overnight then slowly cooked them for about 45 minutes in water on low heat. The natural juices combined with the veggie juiced made an awesome soup. I NEVER branch out with spices but I cooked the beans in with a few bay leaves because, according to Alicia's book, bay leaves help break down the sugar that beans release when cooking. They provide aroma and flavor to the juice...yes they definitely smell delish! Open a jar of bay leaves and breath them in! Trader Joe's sells them...I LOVE Trader Joe's spices.

I also added onion salt to the soup because I was trying not to dump just a ton of salt in it. Onion salt is another Trader Joe's spice that is dehydrated onion and garlic, kosher salt and chives. It's great and definitely not too salty. I also added fresh garlic.

Ingredients:
2 cup of uncooked adzuki beans
1 carrot, diced into small pieces
1 small onion, slices into small pieces
1/4 cup of frozen organic corn
3 bay leaves
3 tsp of onion salt
2 cloves of fresh garlic
3 cups of filtered water

Soak the beans overnight in water and then rinse the next morning. Transfer the beans into a small saucepan and add just enough water to cover them. Add the bay leaves and garlic. Turn the heat on high and boil them for a few minutes. Reduce the heat to low and cover for 45 minutes. Add some onion salt and stir. Steam the carrots then add them in. Add the other veggies as well. Stir and add more water if needed. Cook until the beans are soft. Finish by adding more spices and turn off the heat. Serve and store in a glass container in the fridge or freezer.

The second time I made this soup, I added cubed tofu and some walnuts and it was delish. The bay leaves are my new jam for soups! You can also add rosemary. This recipe can also be made in a crockpot.