Muir Glen Organic Southwest Black Bean Soup Review

Muir Glen Organic Southwest Black Bean Soup is organic and vegan and, according to the website, "features tender black beans simmered with spices and vegetables including our vine-ripened Muir Glen tomatoes."

I have to admit at having scoffed at canned soup lately, but Muir Glen is RIDICULOUSLY GOOD! First I enjoyed the Muir Glen Organic Chicken Tortilla Soup, but luckily I bought this Southwest Black Bean variety as well, which I can say is just as good as the former. I don't think I have ever had a canned soup where the solid content is not mushy - not until now! The black beans are still slightly firm, and there is plenty of them, plus lots of corn and little chunks of tomatoes floating around. And, there is a spicy kick to the soup which I quite enjoyed. It does have a Southwest feeling to it ... take note Pacific Natural Foods Homestyle Creamy Southwestern Corn Soup.

Muir Glen Organic Chicken Tortilla Soup Review

I was looking at my soup options in the supermarket the other day - in fact, there was quite a limited selection - and I decided to pick up Muir Glen Organic Chicken Tortilla Soup, in addition to a few others. I was curious to see whether a canned "organic" soup would be any different from the rest of canned soups around.

I heated up the contents of the can in a small pot on the stove, and when I had my first spoonful, all I could say was, Holy jumping jelly beans this soup is delicious!! It's chock full of rice, corn and black beans - not so much the chicken, but I honestly didn't mind, because the soup is so flavorful. There's also a spicy kick to it that adds some extra oomph. The soup was so good I went back for another helping - the can I bought (411 grams) provides 2 servings.

Each cup of Muir Glen Organic Chicken Tortilla Soup provides 130 calories from 1.5 grams of fat, 0.5 grams of which is saturated (3% and 2% of the daily value), 790 mg of sodium (33% of the DV), 3 grams of fiber and sugars plus 7 grams of protein.

Muir Glen Fire Roasted Diced Tomatoes Review

(Photo Credit & Recipe: Radiogastronomy)

A recipe for Chorizo Stew called for fire roasted diced tomatoes. I typically just chop my own tomatoes and add spices, but this time I decide to splurge on a 28 oz can of Muir Glen Fire Roasted Diced Tomatoes marked with the USDA Organic Label.

The contents look pretty much like your basic can of diced tomatoes, with the addition of a bit of charring on some of the tomato bits. However, despite the high price I paid to get some fancy-schmancy "fire roasted" tomatoes, the roasted flavor is very slight, and barely noticeable compared to regular diced tomatoes. At $3.29 for a can, this is almost twice the price of conventional diced tomatoes, so you're definitely paying for "organic" here.

Muir Glen Organic Chicken Noodle Soup Review

The organic movement has been widespread, and you can find an organic version of anything now, from vegetables and meats to shirts and cleaners. While I do purchase some organic things, there's a lot that I buy a "regular" version of due to cost. Muir Glen, however, has a place in my heart for their excellent tomato products. Spotting that they offer a line of soups, I decided to give one a try.

I opted for the Muir Glen Organic Chicken Noodle Soup - simple and hard to mess up. I opened the can and poured it into my pot. The picture on the front of the can shows the exact contents - chicken, carrots, celery, noodles. I heated it, poured it into a bowl, and loaded up a spoonful. The broth was delicious. It has a nice chicken flavor, with a depth of spices that I haven't experienced with other canned soups. Alas, the same could not be said for anything else. The carrots and noodles were rather mushy, the chicken was tough and had an odd red hue, and the celery was almost nonexistent. I noticed that this is also a lot less chunky than say, Progresso - while paying more for the organic seal, you're also paying for mostly broth.