Easy Black Bean Soup with Chorizo plus Yam

How is everyone? As you know this is the first week of summer break here in Portland and the weather has so far been all over the place.  You know sunny, warm, almost - dare I say that - a wee bit too hot and now back to overcast and chilly.  Well, it is still June and I am not complaining.  Everything is growing beautiful.  I am trying my luck again with tomatoes, sugar snap peas, as well as green beans - so fingers crossed it should be a good harvest. I am thinking way too far ahead and really do not want to go there yet. Now what does that have to do with Black Bean Soup?!  Yes, you are absolutely right. Nothing, nada, zilch...You may know how much we all love soup in our house, and Alena is a huge fans of beans.  3/4 of the family loves, loves, loves beans while one person - please guess - is not a huge fan; but add chorizo and that person loves it as well.

So this week, I made an Easy Black Bean Soup and since this person is now the proud owner of a slow cooker it cooked itself while I was in the office.  Now, that is what I call perfect.  Would someone please remind me why it took me so long to get a slow cooker?!

Easy Black Bean Soup with Chorizo plus Yam {slow cooker}

• 2 C dried black beans soaked overnight 
• Splash of olive oil
• 1 onion diced
• 1 tsp ground coriander
• 1" fresh ginger, peeled and grated
• 3-4 cloves of garlic
• 1 small to medium yam, peeled, and cut into pieces
• App. 5 C of water
• 1 C of your favorite Salsa {I used Pineapple Salsa}
• Juice of 1 lime
• 8 oz Chorizo {dried} - cut into bite size pieces {be sure to read the label}
• Salt & Cayenne Pepper to taste

1. Drain beans and place in slow cooker;
2. In a pot heat olive oil and sauté onions with coriander, ginger, and garlic until fragrant and soft,
3. Place onion mixture on top of beans in slow cooker;
4. Add at least 3 Cups of water to the pot in which you cooked the onions in and stir into it all the bits and pieces. Then pour it into the slow cooker,
5. Add more water until beans are well covered,
6. Add yam and set on high for 6 hours
7. After 6 hours turn slow cooker to low and  add Salsa, Lime Juice, and chorizo
8. Add salt and cayenne pepper to taste
9. Leave a on low for at least another 30 minutes before serving

I served it with rice and avocado!