• 10 sun-dried tomato halves -- (not packed in oil)
• 1 cup boiling water
• 1 1/2 cups finely chopped onion
• 3 garlic cloves
• 2 jalapeno chile peppers, chopped -- (or a little ground chipotle or cayenne: VERY little)
• 1 teaspoon cumin
• 1/3 cup water
• 3 cups canned tomatoes -- undrained
• 4 cups black beans, cooked -- (or two 16-oz cans, undrained - or rinse and drain them and add back an equal quantity of water. This cuts the sodium content way down.)
• more water, as needed (if you use cooked, dried beans, you'll need quite a bit of water)
• 2 tablespoons frozen orange juice concentrate
• 1/4 cup cilantro -- chopped

Saute onion, garlic, and peppers in a soup pot in a little water or oil until onions are transparent, stirring frequently. Add the cumin, 1/3 cup water, and canned tomatoes (chop the tomatoes first if whole) and their juice.

Cover, bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer, covered, for 5-10 minutes.

Add beans and their liquid (or dry cooked beans and additional water), and the orange juice, and continue to simmer.

Drain and chop the sun-dried tomatoes, add them to the soup, cook an additional five minutes. Remove from heat. Puree half the soup in a blender or food processor or use one of the stick blenders right in the pot, which is much easier, or just mash some of the beans with a potato masher. The purpose of doing this is just to thicken the soup.

Dish out the soup, then sprinkle the chopped cilantro on top, and serve.

Per Serving: 220 Calories; 1g Fat (4.4% calories, from fat); 13g Protein; 42g Carbohydrate; 13g Dietary Fiber; 0mg Cholesterol; 291mg Sodium. Exchanges: 2 Grain(Starch); 1/2 Lean Meat; 1 1/2 Vegetable; 0 Fruit; 0 Fat.