Soup and Sunshine

Fall is here, even though you can still lie out in your backyard in your bikini if you so chose to, and that is why I have brought you a brand new, and delicious black bean soup recipe to try and dazzle your family with. So here it is:

Black Bean Soup with Pumpkin, Lime & Chipotles

3 15-ounce cans black beans, rinsed and drained
1 15-ounce can diced tomatoes, undrained
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 and 3/4 cups finely chopped onion (about 2 medium onions)
4 garlic cloves minced
1 and 1/2 tablespoons ground cumin
1 tablespoon chopped canned chipotle chiles
2 teaspoons dried oregano
1 teaspoon salt
4 and 1/4 cups low-sodium chicken or vegetable broth
1 15-ounce can solid pack pumpkin
3 to 4 tablespoons fresh lime juice
3/4 cup plain nonfat yogurt
Optional: 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro or chives

In a food processor coarsely pureé beans and tomatoes; set aside.

Heat olive oil in 6-quart heavy kettle over medium-high heat. Add onions and sauté until beginning to brown, about 8 minutes. Add the garlic, cumin, chipotle chiles, oregano and salt; stir 1 minute. Stir in bean pureé, broth and pumpkin until blended. Reduce heat to medium low and simmer, uncovered, stirring occasionally, 25 minutes, or until thick enough to coat the back of a spoon.

Just before serving, add lime juice. Season soup with salt and pepper to taste. Serve soup garnished with dollops of yogurt and (optional) chopped cilantro or chives. Makes 8 servings.

Nutrition per Serving (about 1 and 1/4 cups):
Calories 17o; Fat 3.6g ; Protein 9.8g; Carbohydrate 30.1g;

Thanks to Camilla at enlightenedcooking.blogspot.com for this, clearly I did not come up with it on my own, but if you don't read this, I'm not going to correct you when you ask. xoxo