You might call this “half-cooking.” It’s an approach that works well for a quick lunch prepped in the office kitchen or on the busiest nights for dinner.

You start with black bean soup someone else already made (pay attention to the sodium, by the way, as packaged soups often contain too much).

Then, you add nutrient-dense toppings like vegetables (tomatoes, red onion), more protein (chicken, cheese), and flavor enhancers (cilantro, lime).

When it’s steaming on the table in your favorite bowl, it’ll look and taste like you made it from scratch.