Black Bean Soup

I like cooking with dried beans.  They are much more economical than their canned counterparts and they're easy to store.  You will need to plan ahead and allow time for soaking the beans.  I always soak them overnight.  It's easy to remember and you don't have to watch the clock.  Within reason, it is difficult to "over soak".

This original recipe came from Whole Food Markets.  As usual, I have made my own changes.  However, if you substitute the cooking wine and broth in this recipe for water, and substitute nutritional yeast for the Parmesan cheese, this low sodium, low fat, high fiber, wheat free dish would also be dairy free, gluten free, vegan and vegetarian.

--Enjoy

Ingredients: 

• 1 pound dried black beans (about 2 1/2 cups), rinsed
• 2 medium onions, chopped
• 1 large red bell pepper, seeded and chopped
• 4 cloves garlic, finely chopped
• 1 tablespoon ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon ground chipotle pepper
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
• 2 tablespoons Parmesan cheese
• 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
• 1/2 cup red cooking wine
• 10 cups low fat reduced sodium chicken, beef or vegetable broth
• 1/2 ripe avocado, chopped or smashed to garnish

Method: 

Soak the beans overnight or 6 to 8 hours prior to cooking. Drain and rinse.

In a large pot, bring 1/2 cup red cooking wine to a simmer over medium-high heat. Add onions, bell pepper and garlic and cook, stirring frequently, until onions are translucent and beginning to brown, about 10 minutes. Stir in cumin and chipotle and cook 1 minute, stirring. Add drained beans and 10  cups low fat reduced sodium broth. Bring soup to a boil, then lower to a simmer and cook, uncovered, for 1 1/2 to 2 hours, until beans are tender. Remove 4 cups soup and carefully purée in a blender. Return purée to pot and stir in cilantro, Parmesan cheese and lime juice. Spoon into bowls for serving and garnish with avocado.