Black Bean Soup

There are seemingly thousands of recipes for Black Bean soup...so there is really room for one more, right? I looked at a number of recipes for inspiration and decided to start from a blank sheet of paper. My son loves black bean soup - and this one really came out great. This definitely had a nice spicy taste - you can tone it down by reducing (or even eliminating the Chili powder). And it has a bit of a kick - This makes for a great soup.

It could not be easier to make and it is very healthy and economical. Seems to be better suited for winter, but as a nice low-fat source of protein, it really is something that could be on the menu year round. A winner all the way around.

Ingredients (Serves 6-8):
1 lbs Dried black beans, soaked overnight in water and drained
2 tsp Garlic, chopped (or two cloves)
1 Red pepper, diced small
2 Small onions or 1 medium onion, diced small
1 tsp Cinnamon
1 tsp Allspice
1 tbsp Cumin
1 tbsp Chili powder (adjust lower for less of a kick)
3 cups Water
3 cups Vegetable Broth (or chicken broth - low sodium if you have it)
14.5 oz Diced tomatoes (with chilies if you desire)
1 tbsp Lemon juice
1 cup Ham, chopped (optional)

Directions
NOTE: Make sure that the beans are soaked overnight.

1. In a slow cooker, place all the ingredients in the order in which they appear in the ingredient list.
2. Turn on low and cook for 10-12 hours.
3. Before you serve, use a immersion hand blender to break up the vegetables and the beans. This is not required - but it will make a thicker soup. (NOTE: you can also reduce the liquids (either water or broth) by around 1/2 cup for a thicker soup)

Enjoy! Yep, it is that simple.