Title: Stewed Tomato Soup with Black Beans And Bell Peppers
Categories: 4star, Beans, Soups
Yield: 4 servings

1 ts Olive oil
1/4 c Finely chopped red onion
4 Garlic cloves; finely
-chopped
1/4 ts Freshly ground black pepper
1/2 c Red; green, and yellow bell
-peppers, chopped
1 ts Cre-ole chile spice blend;
-see recipe, or
-Mexican-seasoning blend
2 c Cooked black beans; rinsed
2 c Mexican stewed tomatoes
1 c Low-salt vegetable or
-chicken broth
1/2 c Carrot juice
2 tb Apple juice
2 tb Chopped fresh cilantro;
-leaves only
1 oz Lowfat cheddar cheese
Malt vinegar; as condiment

This black bean soup has evolved over the years into a tomato soup with
black beans. It's fast; It uses canned ingredients. It's comfort food when
served with cornbread, also made from a mix. The only unusual ingredients
are the juices: carrot and apple. You could omit them but they calm the
tomato's acidity. Serves 4 when served with cornbread. Also good as a
topper for baked potatoes.

1. Heat oil in a medium saucepan. Soften onion with garlic and black
pepper. Add the chopped bell peppers, the Mexican spice blend and the
rinsed and drained black beans. Stir well to combine and add the stewed
tomatoes (Mexican style). Simmer, crushing the larger peices of tomato and
adding chicken broth to thin. Cook until the flavors are combined; about 15
to 20 minutes or as long as it takes to bake the corn bread.

2. Just before serving, add the chopped fresh cilantro leaves and stir
until aromatic. Serve in wide bowls, garnish with a few cheddar cheese
shavings; sprinkle soup with malt vinegar. PER BOWL: 183 cals, 2.5 g fat
(12%cff)

Tested by Pat and Bob Hanneman 12/98 from
http://home.earthlink.net/~kitpath

CARROT JUICE SUBSTITUTE: Cook 1 carrot with apple juice in the microwave
then mash it, adding apple juice to taste. JIFFY CORN MUFFIN MIX: plus 1/3
cup lowfat buttermilk, 1 medium egg, and up to 4 tablespoons skim milk;
400F preheated oven, 15-mins in an 8x8-inch pan; centered rack). VARIATION:
Add an ounce or two of leftover cooked meat, shredded and warmed with the
onion.

Recipe by: Pat Hanneman, Riverside (1998 Dec)

Posted to EAT-LF Digest by Pat Hanneman on Dec 31,
1998, converted by MM_Buster v2.0l.