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Abstract

, Mediterranean, Whole30, Half-Assed, whatever — you’ll find a ton of suitable recipes online. Naturally, some are more labor-intensive than others, but I can assure you that this one is stupid-easy. Even better, it’s yummy, filling and won’t bloat you out if you stick to the ingredients’ low sodium versions.</p><h2 id="c021">Here is the basic recipe for 5-Can Soup:</h2><h2 id="a50a">Ingredients</h2><p id="d436">1 (14.4-ounce) can fat-free chicken broth 1 (14.4-ounce) can corn, drained and rinsed 1 (14.4-ounce) can black beans, drained and rinsed 1 (14.4-ounce) can fat-free refried beans 1 (14.4-ounce) can no-salt-added diced tomatoes</p><h2 id="6c87">Directions</h2><p id="05c1">Combine all ingredients in a medium saucepan, whisking to integrate the refried beans. Simmer, then serve. Garnish as desired.</p><p id="2f80">I’ve made this soup several times and it’s no-fail-delish. Hearty, warming and nutritious. And, you can mix things up to your heart’s content: Swap out the black beans for pinto or white northern. Use veggie broth instead of chicken. Add a can of diced jalapenos.</p><p id="7589" type="7">You can even add shredded chicken for a filling and satisfying main dish.</p><p id="5bf3">Finish off with whatever spices you like. I usually add some chili powder or cayenne for a kick. (I like my kicks!) And don’t forget salt and pepper. You don’t have to go nuts, but you want a flavorful, not a bland, mish-mash.</p><p id="1f16">Garnish with shredded cheese and sour cream or Greek yogurt, maybe some chopped red onion (if you're up for just a minute or two of chopping), cubed avocado and tortilla chips. Finish off with a squeeze of lime and a dash of hot sauce and you’ve got one bomb bowl of soup.</p><p id="55e8">The best part: You can incorporate whatever tasty bits float your boat because literally, you can’t mess this up. Think “Mexican Tortilla Soup” but with little to zero work.</p><p id="b756">That’s the kind of recipe I like and I hope you do, too. And keep in mind: You’ll want to double, or maybe even triple this one as it tastes even better after a day or two in the fridge.</p><p id="e965">Gotta bounce. My cans are calling.</p><p id="e7dd"><i>Sherry McGuinn is a slightly-twisted, longtime Chicago-area writer and award-winning screenwriter. Her work has appeared in The Chicago Tribune, Chicago Sun-Times, and numerous other publications. Sherry’s manager is currently pitching her newest screenplay, a drama with dark, comedic overtones and inspired by a true story.</i></p><p id="a590">Thanks for reading. If you enjoyed this, please take a look at the following:</p><div id="3aeb" class="link-block"> <a href="https://readmedium.com/dim-sum-on

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The Clumsy Cook’s Soup Recipe

If you can open a can, you’re golden.

I’ve been vocal about the fact that I’m not the greatest cook. I’m by no means the worst, but I’ve had my moments in the Cook’s Hell of Fame.

Part of my problem is the fact that, where recipes are concerned, I tend to veer off the course into uncharted territory. Normally, this happens when I want to make a particular recipe “healthier.” So I make substitutions. Sometimes they work, other times, my husband and I stop speaking for a day or two.

Yes. We’ve had fights over food.

Soup. I think about making it. A lot. In fact, that’s all I do is think about it. And that’s a shame because Chicagoland is experiencing perfect soup weather. Gray. Cold. Blustery. And nothing beats a lovely bowl of soup for warming you from the inside out.

It’s not that I’m lazy. I’m the farthest thing from it. But, if I can avoid it, I don’t like to do a lot of chopping, dicing, slicing or whittling. Unlike a certain Gillian Flynn protagonist, I’m just not that good with “sharp objects.”

When it comes to knives, I am ambidextrously challenged.

Yes, I have a food processor and I do use it, but it’s a big ungainly thing and of course, has to be washed after using. That said, I normally haul it out at least once a year to make my world-famous bread stuffing for Thanksgiving. I kick ass on that one, people. Hint: A shot or two of whiskey makes for a sublime dining experience. In the stuffing and the cook.

Back to the soup. So, if I’m not in the mood to make a meal that necessitates chopping veggies and such with a food processor or a knife, what do I do?

I make 5-Can Soup — because I’m damn good with a manual can opener! This thing knows I’m boss and I wield it with confidence and impunity.

Now, on the surface, a soup made entirely of canned goods may not sound appealing, or all that healthy. But it is. Trust me. Or try to.

I’ve had this recipe for years and am uncertain as to where I stumbled across it. I believe it was the SparkPeople site.

When I was gainfully employed and often bored as hell (writing about HVAC or “poops and pipes” takes its toll), I’d work on my screenplays or research recipes. The Internet is a goldmine for foodies.

Whether you eat Paleo, Vegan, Mediterranean, Whole30, Half-Assed, whatever — you’ll find a ton of suitable recipes online. Naturally, some are more labor-intensive than others, but I can assure you that this one is stupid-easy. Even better, it’s yummy, filling and won’t bloat you out if you stick to the ingredients’ low sodium versions.

Here is the basic recipe for 5-Can Soup:

Ingredients

1 (14.4-ounce) can fat-free chicken broth 1 (14.4-ounce) can corn, drained and rinsed 1 (14.4-ounce) can black beans, drained and rinsed 1 (14.4-ounce) can fat-free refried beans 1 (14.4-ounce) can no-salt-added diced tomatoes

Directions

Combine all ingredients in a medium saucepan, whisking to integrate the refried beans. Simmer, then serve. Garnish as desired.

I’ve made this soup several times and it’s no-fail-delish. Hearty, warming and nutritious. And, you can mix things up to your heart’s content: Swap out the black beans for pinto or white northern. Use veggie broth instead of chicken. Add a can of diced jalapenos.

You can even add shredded chicken for a filling and satisfying main dish.

Finish off with whatever spices you like. I usually add some chili powder or cayenne for a kick. (I like my kicks!) And don’t forget salt and pepper. You don’t have to go nuts, but you want a flavorful, not a bland, mish-mash.

Garnish with shredded cheese and sour cream or Greek yogurt, maybe some chopped red onion (if you're up for just a minute or two of chopping), cubed avocado and tortilla chips. Finish off with a squeeze of lime and a dash of hot sauce and you’ve got one bomb bowl of soup.

The best part: You can incorporate whatever tasty bits float your boat because literally, you can’t mess this up. Think “Mexican Tortilla Soup” but with little to zero work.

That’s the kind of recipe I like and I hope you do, too. And keep in mind: You’ll want to double, or maybe even triple this one as it tastes even better after a day or two in the fridge.

Gotta bounce. My cans are calling.

Sherry McGuinn is a slightly-twisted, longtime Chicago-area writer and award-winning screenwriter. Her work has appeared in The Chicago Tribune, Chicago Sun-Times, and numerous other publications. Sherry’s manager is currently pitching her newest screenplay, a drama with dark, comedic overtones and inspired by a true story.