Ingredients

¼ cup olive oil
2 cups chopped onions
4 garlic cloves, minced or pressed
2 cups peeled and diced carrots
1½ teaspoons ground cumin
l cup chopped celery
1 cup chopped green bell peppers
3 cups cooked black beans (two 15-ounce cans, un-drained)*
½ dried chipotle pepper or 1 canned chipotle pepper in adobo sauce**
2 cups chopped fresh or un-drained canned tomatoes (14-ounce can)
½ cup orange juice
½ cup water
sour cream or Jalapeno Cream (optional)
chopped fresh cilantro (optional)

Instructions

1. Warm the oil in a nonreactive soup pot.
2. Sauté the onions and garlic in the oil for about 10 minutes, stirring frequently, until the onions are translucent.
3. Add the carrots and cumin and cook on medium heat, stirring often, for a few minutes.
4. Add the celery and bell peppers, lower the heat, cover, and cook for about 10 minutes.
5. Add the beans, chipotle, tomatoes, orange juice, and water and simmer, covered, for 20 minutes.
6. If you're not using canned beans, add ½ cup of bean-cooking liquid or additional water.
7. If desired, garnish each serving with a dollop of sour cream or Jalapeno Cream and a sprinkling of cilantro.