BLACK BEAN SOUP

1 pound dried black beans
2 yellow onions, finely chopped
2 red bell peppers, finely chopped
6 cloves of garlic, minced
3 bay leaves
1 whole clove
4 Tbsp. 50% less fat real bacon pieces
1 Tbsp. olive oil
2 scallions (green onions), finely chopped
2 celery stalks, finely chopped
1 carrot, finely chopped
1/2 cup dry white wine
1 Tbsp. white wine vinegar
1 tsp. ground cumin, or to taste
1 tsp. dried oregano, or to taste
1/2 cup fat free sour cream

The day before, rinse the beans in a colander under cold running water. Place the beans in a Dutch oven and add 8 cups of water. Let soak over night. Add 1 onion, 1 bell pepper, 3 cloves of garlic, 1 bay leaf, and the clove to the pot containing the beans. Bring to a boil and reduce the heat. Loosely cover and simmer, stirring occasionally, until tender, about 1 hour. Meanwhile in a large skillet, heat oil over medium heat. Stir in the remaining onion, bell pepper, garlic, and the celery and carrot. Sauté, stirring until the vegetables are tender, about 10 minutes. Stir the vegetables into the bean pot along with the bacon, wine, vinegar, cumin, oregano, and the remaining 2 bay leaves. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat, cover, and simmer 15 minutes. Remove the 3 bay leaves and discard. Scoop 2 cups of bean mixture into a bowl; mash with a potato masher and return to the pot. Season with salt and pepper, if desired. Spoon into soup bowls. Garnish with fat free sour cream and green onions.

Yield: 12 servings

189 calories and 2 grams of fat
31 grams of carbohydrate, 11 grams of protein, 20 milligrams of sodium,
5 milligrams of cholesterol