Tamale Pie

1 medium onion, diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 red pepper, diced
1 tomato, diced
1.5 cups black beans (or one can, partially drained)
1/2 cup salsa
1/2 cup frozen corn
1.5 tsp chili powder
1 tsp cumin
3/4 cup water (or enough to make a thick soup)
salt to taste

Cornbread Crust:
1 cup cornmeal
1 cup all-purpose flour
2.5 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 cup agave nectar
1 cup soymilk or milk
1 egg
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1/3-1/2 cup cheese (I used white cheddar)

Saute onion in oil for 3-5 minutes. Add garlic and red pepper and saute for 3-5 minutes more. Add tomato, and saute until juices are released (about 5 minutes). Add the rest of the ingredients, bring to boil, and let simmer for 20 minutes. Remove from heat.

While soup is simmering, make the cornbread crust. In a large bowl, combine the cornmeal, flour, baking powder, and salt. In a small bowl, beat the egg, then add the agave, milk, and oil, and beat together. Combine the wet and dry ingredients and stir until everything is evenly moist.

Pour the soup into a 2 quart casserole dish (or a 9 x 13 cake pan). Sprinkle cheese on top of the soup. Place large spoonfuls of the batter over the soup, and after all the batter has been placed, spread it out, trying to connect all the spoonfuls together, spreading the batter as evenly as possible over the soup (it doesn't have to reach all the way to the edges). Bake at 400F for 20 minutes or until a toothpick comes out of the "crust" clean.

Serve hot, with the soup spooned over large scoops of the bread.