Life lessons from my children

This blog is subtitled "cooking advice for my children," but I have plenty to learn from you all as well. You know I think of running as something more than exercise. It's a metaphor for life, with plenty of lessons along the way for how to get through it all with grace and courage. You don't have to be the fastest dude on the course, but preparation, grit, and determination are necessary to help you be the best runner (and person) you can be out there.

Brad's high school cross country career, which came to a close at the regional meet at the Lexington Horse Center last week, frames the issue perfectly. There have been plenty of ups and downs over the past four years—PRs tempered by injuries, illness, asthma/VCD—but through it all Brad was determined to give it everything he had. Before the season started, we visited with Mark Lorenzoni, who asked Brad what his goal for the season was. And Brad didn't hesitate to say he wanted to run varsity (top 7). Brad did the work through the hot summer and the tough workouts with his team and accomplished that goal, running 6th on his team throughout the season. And he capped it all off with a PR at the regional meet, on a warmer day and harder course than when he ran his previous PR at Great Meadows. There will be no better reminder for me of how to meet a challenge in life than remembering Brad coming down the final stretch in Lexington, grimacing from the effort of giving it everything he had to finish strong.

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So here is a recipe I'm not particularly proud of, but it works. Brad liked it and says, "It tastes like chili." Mom went that one better, saying "It's like chili, only better." I won't go that far, but we'll have it again when we want some warm soup on a cold night and have only pantry ingredients to work with.

Desperation Black Bean Soup

Adapted from Cooking with Trader Joe's

Try to use canned beans and salsa that aren't too high in sodium. If you have to, you can rinse the beans and substitute low-sodium broth or stock for the liquid in the can. The juice looks pretty gross when you open the can, but it's just starch and is perfectly edible and makes for a thicker soup. If it helps, "think of it as a broth of sorts." Depending how spicy your salsa is, you may want to add a dash of hot sauce to the soup.

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil 
1 medium (~4 to 6 ounces) yellow onion, diced
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 garlic clove, minced or pressed
2 (15-ounce) cans black beans, such as Trader Joe's Organic Black Beans (do not drain; see note)
1 cup (~half a jar) of your favorite salsa, such as Trader Joe's Chunky Salsa (see note)
juice of 1 lime (~2 tablespoons juice)
plain yogurt or sour cream (optional)

    1. In a large saucepan or saucier, heat the oil over medium heat. Add the onion and sauté, stirring occasionally, until softened and translucent but not browned.
    2. Stir in the cumin and garlic and sauté for 1 minute.
    3. Stir in the black beans, salsa, and lime juice. Bring to a simmer, cover, and cook for 20 minutes, adjusting the heat as needed to maintain a gentle simmer.
    4. Serve promptly, with a dollop of yogurt or sour cream if desired. If you want a thicker or smoother soup, you can blend some of the soup before serving, or you can puree one of the cans of beans before starting. Serves 3–4.