OLE BLACK BEAN SOUP

I came to Mexican food very late in life. I'd always thought it must be too spicy for my tastes. It might have been better for my waistline if I'd never developed a taste for Mexican food, but all things in moderation is my motto. I'd always loathed the look of red kidney beans, so imagine my surprise when I actually ate them and liked them. That opened the door for me and it was just a matter of time before I tried black beans. First I ate them as an accompaniment to dinner. Then I tried black bean soup and found I really, really liked it and that it was really, really filled with fiber. Here's a very easy recipe that's great any time of year, with or without any other Mexican food. I love it AS the meal, with a green salad and some baked tortilla chips.


Ole Black Bean Soup
3/4 cup diced yellow onion
3/4 cup diced celery
1/2 cup diced carrot
1/4 cup diced red pepper
1 garlic clove, minced
2 tbs. vegetable or canola oil
4 15 oz cans black beans
4 cups low fat chicken broth
1 tbs apple cider vinegar
2-3 tsp chili powder
1/2 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp salt
Garnish: shredded cheddar or Monterey Jack cheese, sour cream, chopped scallions


Heat the oil in a large, heavy saucepan or Dutch oven over low heat. Add the onion, celery, carrot, pepper, and garlic and sweat the veggies for 15 minutes--until the onions are almost translucent. Keep the heat low so the veggies don't brown. While the veggies sweat, rinse and strain the beans. Measure out 3 cups of the strained and drained beans and place them in a food processor with 1 cup of the chicken broth. Puree until smooth. When the veggies are done, pour the pureed beans, the remaining whole beans, the remaining cup of chicken broth, and all the seasonings into the pot and bring the mixture to a boil. Reduce heat to a simmer and cook uncovered for 45 minutes to an hour (until thick).


Serve with the garnishes and feel virtuous. Look at all the fiber you're getting!