Southwestern Vegetarian Black Bean Soup

• 1 pound dried black beans
• 1/2 cup water
• 1/2 ounce dried chipotle chile
• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 1 1/2 cups chopped onion
• 3/4 cup chopped carrot
• 3/4 cup chopped celery
• 3/4 cup chopped green bell pepper
• 3/4 cup chopped red bell pepper
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 3 1/2 cups canned vegetable broth
• 1 cup dry sherry
• 2 tablespoons ground cumin
• 1 tablespoon chili powder
• 1 tablespoon dried oregano
• 2 tablespoons honey
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/8 teaspoon pepper
• 2 (14.5-ounce) cans diced tomatoes, undrained
• 1 bay leaf
• 7 tablespoons nonfat sour cream
• Cilantro sprigs (optional)

1. Sort and wash beans; place in a large Dutch oven. Cover with water to 2 inches above beans; bring to a boil, and cook 2 minutes. Remove from heat; cover and let stand 1 hour. Drain beans in a colander; set aside.
2. Combine 1/2 cup water and chile in a small saucepan; bring to a boil. Remove water and chile from heat; cover and let stand 10 minutes or until chile is softened. Place water and chile in a food processor, and process 1 minute or until smooth. Set chile puree aside.
3. Heat oil in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add onion and next 5 ingredients (onion through garlic); saute 7 minutes. Add beans, 2 tablespoons chile puree, broth, and next 10 ingredients (broth through bay leaf); bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer 1 hour. Discard bay leaf.
4. Remove 4 cups of beans and vegetables from soup with a slotted spoon; set aside. Place half of remaining soup in a blender; process until smooth, and pour into a bowl. Repeat procedure with other half of soup. Return pureed soup to pan, and stir in 4 cups of the bean-vegetable mixture. Cook soup over medium-low heat until thoroughly heated. Ladle soup into individual bowls; top with sour cream, and garnish with cilantro, if desired. Serve with remaining chile puree, if desired.

black beans, water, chile, vegetable oil, onion, carrot, celery, green bell pepper, red bell pepper, garlic, vegetable broth, sherry, ground cumin, chili powder, oregano, honey, salt, ground cinnamon, pepper, tomatoes, bay leaf, nonfat sour cream, cilantro

Taken from www.myrecipes.com/recipe/southwestern-vegetarian-black-bean-soup (may not work)