Ingredients:

  Amount  Measure       Ingredient -- Preparation Method
--------  ------------  --------------------------------
  1 1/2           cups  dried black beans
  1              clove  garlic -- minced
     1/2           cup  chopped onion
  4                     carrots -- chopped
  2          teaspoons  olive oil
  1         tablespoon  cumin
  1           teaspoon  coriander
     1/4      teaspoon  cayenne
  2               cans  fat-free chicken broth
     1/2           cup  long-grain rice
  1                cup  water
  2        tablespoons  nonfat yogurt -- per serving

Preparation:

Cover beans with boiling water. Let soak for 4 hours. Cook them for 1 to 1-1/4 hours or until tender. Set aside. In a large soup pot, saute garlic, onion, and carrots in olive oil. After a minute, lower heat and cook until the carrots are tender. Stir in cumin, coriander, and cayenne, and cook for about a minute. Add chicken broth. Drain beans and add them to the soup. Simmer for 5 minutes. Add rice and simmer, partially covered, for 15-20 minutes. Puree 3/4 to 7/8 of the soup in a blender in a few batches. Return puree to the pot. If soup is too thick, add water a little at a time until soup is a desirable consistancy -- not too thick and not too watery. Top with a dollop of yogurt for each serving. Note: This soup is really yummy, but is not that appetizing-looking! I thin it a bit with tomato juice and dress it up with a sprinkle of grated cheese and crushed tortilla chips. If you leave it very thick it can double as a low-fat bean dip! Kris

Nutritional Information:

235 Calories (kcal); 2g Total Fat; (8% calories from fat); 14g Protein; 43g Carbohydrate; trace Cholesterol; 166mg Sodium