Meatless Monday

My sweet Guy bought me an Advent gift, this beautiful book I look forward to savoring:

And today, December 1st, these words leap off the page and into my heart: “Jesus…whispers to you in a noisy world: ‘Right where you are, look for the small glimpses of My love unfurling around you….’

“Miracles happen whenever we speak words that make souls stronger. Miracles happen whenever we look for shoots of Jesus’ love everywhere – because this grows deep roots in Jesus’ love for everyone. Miracles happen in the drawing close to the little people, the least people, the lonely people, the lost people – because this is drawing close to Jesus. This is how we all draw love everywhere.” Ann Voskamp, Unwrapping the Greatest Gift, p8

And later I read this from our mission partner Amor Ministries: “…do we really live our Christmas season as if it will change the world?”

I want to glimpse Jesus’ love right where I am. I want to witness as God unleashes miracles in our mundane. I want to draw love everywhere. I want to participate in God’s change in the world. Don’t you?

I’ve been meaning to post this Meatless Monday recipe for a while but it seems Jesus meant it for today. I took it to lunch with girlfriends several weeks back; it is a perfect take-to-friends meal. It’s also so easy that you can keep ingredients on hand and whip it up for unexpected guests. Or, you know, those harried weeknights when the day has more than gotten out of hand and you need a quicker-than-quick family meal. Yeah, we’ve had a few of those, too.

Tomato, Black Bean & Corn Soup

1 container Trader Joe’s tomato and red pepper soup
1 can black beans, drained and rinsed
1 c cooked brown rice (TJ’s brown basmati is my fav)
½ jar TJ’s corn & chile salsa (or 1 c roasted corn)
Chili powder, to taste
Ground coriander, to taste
Ground cumin, to taste
Balsamic vinegar, to taste
Salt & freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Empty TJ’s prepared soup into a stock pot. Add remainder of ingredients. Heat through and serve. The soup tastes even better if you heat, turn off heat and let sit, and then reheat just before serving. If you’ll be serving littles, the roasted corn might be the way to go as the salsa has a definite kick, but then you’ll want to up the spices a notch for good flavor. You could also try less corn salsa + some roasted corn.

Soup might not change the world, but it can sure change someone’s day. With soup, you can offer warmth and hearty goodness and love – your love and God’s.

Oh, and you might as well go ahead and double the recipe from the get-go. Yes, it’s that good.