I use this bulk recipe version of the Spicy Black Bean Soup to cook ahead on the weekend for the week. I have soup containers that I freeze soups in for weekdays - since soups reheat well in the microwave - so that I am only 4 minutes away from delicious low-sodium low-fat homemade bean soup on any day of the week. I am in control of what goes in it, and it's only the good stuff!

This recipe takes a long time in "real time", but is low attention for the vast majority of the time. Schedule making it while you are doing other things at home (or even away if you have a slow cooker). Just make sure you start it in the morning.

Ingredients
1 lb dried black beans (makes 7 cups boiled)

2 medium onion, chopped
6 cloves of garlic, minced
2 tsp chili powder
2 tsp cumin

2 4.5-oz cans diced green chiles
4 large celery ribs, chopped
4 cups low-sodium chicken or vegetable broth
4 tsp Worchestershire sauce
2 15.5-oz can no-salt-added diced tomatoes
1 bunch fresh cilantro, chopped (leave out bottom parts of stems)

For serving (total, optional):
2 lime, cut into wedges
8 whole sprigs cilantro

Preparation

1. Soak beans overnight, after rinsing and picking out bad beans if necessary.
2. The next day, pour beans into a colander and discard soaking liquid. (This helps reduce the flatulence-creating molecules.) Pour the beans into a slow cooker (or big pot). Pour enough water into the slow cooker to add 1 inch of water above the beans. Cook the beans on high until soft (depends on age of beans, approximately 4-6 hours.) If using pot on stove, check periodically to make sure the beans don't run out of water.
3. Sauté onion, garlic, cumin, and chili powder until edges of onion begin to brown on the stove, in the bean pot if using stove, in a frying pan if using slow cooker.
4. If using slow cooker: Put all the soup ingredients into the slow cooker and cook for 2 hours on high. If using pot on stove: Add remaining soup ingredients and simmer covered for 25-30 minutes, stirring occasionally.
5. Ladle any soup to be served now into bowls and serve hot; garnish each serving with cilantro and a lime wedge.
6. Squeeze the rest (or all) of the lime into any soup for freezing or refrigerating, stir it in, and let the soup cool. Measure out into desired serving sizes into soup containers and refrigerate/freeze.