Winter seems to be trying to hang on in some areas! Have you had a lot of cool spring days where you live? Well, next time the temperature drops, this is a great soup to make if you like black beans. I found this recipe at Eating Well, and thought it sounded good. And after tasting it, I thought it was great!  It has a little chili powder, cumin, and even some salsa to give it a little zippy Southwestern taste.

Since you puree half of this soup, it has a nice creaminess with a little chunky texture. And it tastes great with some sour cream (or greek yogurt), shredded cheddar cheese, and chopped fresh cilantro on top. I added less water than the original recipe calls for, which was a good thing, because the soup would have been too watery for my liking if I had followed the recipe exactly. I really like the way it turned out—it’s great for lunch or a lighter dinner.

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SOUTHWESTERN BLACK BEAN SOUP by NancyC, adapted from EatingWell.com

Makes about 6 servings

• 2 Tablespoons canola oil
• 2 small or medium onions, chopped
• 2 Tablespoons chili powder
• 2 teaspoons ground cumin
• 4 (15-ounce) cans black beans, rinsed
• 3 cups water
• 1 cup prepared salsa
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 2 Tablespoons lime juice
• Optional garnishes: sour cream (about a Tablespoon), shredded cheddar cheese, chopped fresh cilantro

Heat oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add onion and cook, stirring, until onion begins to soften, 2 to 3 minutes. Add chili powder and cumin, and cook, stirring, 1 minute more. Add beans, water, salsa, and salt. Bring to a boil; reduce heat and simmer for 10 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in lime juice.

Transfer half of the soup to a blender and puree (use caution when pureeing hot liquids)–you may have to puree half the soup in two batches. Stir the puree back into the saucepan. Serve soup garnished with sour cream, shredded cheddar cheese, and/or chopped cilantro, if desired.

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Do you like black beans? What’s your favorite way to prepare them?