Chipotle Black Bean Soup

Yes, I know unsweetened cocoa sounds really wierd, but this is good :)

Chipotle Black Bean Soup

The smoky, spicy almost chocolate-like flavor of this soup comes from chipotle chilies, an ingredient that is very popular in the Southwest. Chipotle chilies, which are smoked jalapeños, can be found dried, pickled or canned in thick adobo sauce. This recipe calls for unsweetened cocoa, which adds a warmth to the complex flavor of this soup.

Serves 6 to 8

1/8 cup olive oil
2 cups chopped red onion
1 medium red bell pepper, seeded and chopped
1 medium green bell pepper, seeded and chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 TB dried oregano, or 3 TB fresh
1 TB ground cumin
3 chopped canned chipotle chilies

1/8 cup adobo sauce from canned chipotle peppers
12 cups water
1 bay leaf
2 cups (dry) black beans, rinsed
1 TB unsweetened cocoa powder
3/4 cup orange juice
1/2 cup minced fresh cilantro
6 scallions, thinly sliced
sea salt, to taste

Heat the olive oil in a large pot over medium-high heat. Add the red onion, peppers and garlic; sauté until the onion is translucent. Reduce the heat to medium-low, and add the oregano, cumin, chipotle chilies, and adobo sauce; sauté for 1 minute. Add the cold water, bay leaf, and beans. Bring the soup to a boil, then lower to a simmer and cook uncovered for 1 hour, until the beans are tender.

Stir in the cocoa powder, orange juice, cilantro, scallions, and salt; continue to simmer for 5 minutes.

Nutrition Info
Per Serving (1 cup): calories 60; calories from fat 15; calories from saturated fat 0; protein 2g; carbohydrates 9g; total fat 2g; saturated fat 0g; cholesterol 0 mg; sodium 10 mg; 25% calories from fat

From the Whole Foods cookbook