PUMPKIN CRAZE - PUMPKIN BLACK BEAN CHIPOTLE SOUP

Pumpkin Black Bean Chipotle Soup

4 1/2 cups black beans (about three 15 1/2 ounce cans), rinsed and drained

1 15 1/2 ounce can organic whole tomatoes, fire roasted or regular

1 tbsp olive oil

1 1/2 cups chopped onion

2 garlic cloves minced

1 tablespoon ground cumin

1 tsp chili powder

2 chipotle chiles in adobo, minced, with 2 tbsp of the adobo sauce*

1 teaspoon salt**

freshly ground black pepper

4 cups organic vegetable broth

15 ounce can pumpkin pureé (about 1 1/2 cups)***

4 tablespoons Sherry vinegar

1/2 cup of chopped cilantro, a bit on the side for garnish

Pureé 3 1/2 cups of the beans and the tomatoes.

In a large, heavy-bottomed pot heat the olive oil over moderate heat. Add the onion, garlic, cumin, chili powder, and salt, and cook, stirring, until onion is softened and beginning to brown. Add the chipotle and adobo sauce and cook for another minute. Stir in the tomato-bean pureé. Stir in broth, and pumpkin until combined and simmer, uncovered, stirring occasionally, 25 minutes, or until thick enough to coat the back of a spoon.

Just before serving, add the rest of the beans and vinegar and simmer soup, stirring, until heated through. Season soup with salt (if needed) and freshly ground pepper. Add the chopped cilantro.

Garnish your soup with cilantro sprigs.

*Careful that you only add two of these, I accidently added the whole jar and had to remove 4 of 6 peppers!!

**If needed only. The broth may enough salt all ready.

***To create pumpkin pureé, I buy pure pumpkin from Whole Foods and then mix in just a dab of soy milk to soften it up.