Beezie's Black Bean Soup

This soup has gained rave reviews from my non-veggie friends and family! It's bursting with healthy goodness, never mind that it tastes so wonderfully yummy! The soup loves to change, if you're cleaning out your refrigerator, be creative...

• Preparation Time: 60 mins
• Cooking Time: 5 hr
• Total Time: 6 hr
• Calories: 231 Calories

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon salt
• ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
• ½ teaspoon dried oregano
• 1 carrot, chopped
• 1 stalk celery, chopped
• 2 tablespoons chili powder
• 2 teaspoons ground cumin
• 3 tablespoons red wine vinegar
• 1 ½ quarts water
• 6 cloves garlic, crushed
• ½ cup uncooked white rice
• 2 green bell peppers, chopped
• 1 large red onion, chopped
• ¼ cup dry lentils
• 1 (28 ounce) can peeled and diced tomatoes
• 1 pound dry black beans
• 2 jalapeno pepper, seeded and minced

Recipe Instructions

Step 1

In a large pot over medium-high heat, place the beans in three times their volume of water. Bring to a boil, and let boil 10 minutes. Cover, remove from heat and let stand 1 hour. Drain, and rinse.

Step 2

In a slow cooker, combine soaked beans and 1 1/2 quarts fresh water. Cover, and cook for 3 hours on High.

Step 3

Stir in carrot, celery, onion, garlic, bell peppers, jalapeno pepper, lentils, and tomatoes. Season with chili powder, cumin, oregano, black pepper, red wine vinegar, and salt. Cook on Low for 2 to 3 hours. Stir the rice into the slow cooker in the last 20 minutes of cooking.

Step 4

Puree about half of the soup with a blender or food processor, then pour back into the pot before serving.