Skinny Slow Cooker Black Bean Soup ♥

Winter is when I use my Slow cooker more and more, try my healthy black bean soup!  ♥

Ingredients  ♥

1 large white or yellow onion, chopped
2 red bell peppers, cored and chopped
2 carrots, chopped
5 cloves garlic, minced
1-2 jalapeno peppers, seeded and diced
4 cups good-quality vegetable stock
4 (15-ounce) cans black beans, rinsed and drained
1 bay leaf
2 teaspoons ground cumin
2 teaspoons chili powder
2 teaspoons kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon cayenne
optional toppings: chopped fresh cilantro, crumbled corn tortilla chips, sliced avocados, light sour cream and/or fat free shredded cheese


Directions ♥

Combine all ingredients in the bowl of a slow cooker, and stir to combine.  Cook on low for 6-8 hours, or on high for 3-4 hours, until all of the vegetables are cooked and tender.  Remove the bay leaf.
At this point, you can either:
serve the soup as-is (brothy and chunky)
use a blender or food-processor to puree the soup completely (uber-thick and smooth)
use a blender or food processor to puree about half of the soup (so that it's thick and smooth but still a little chunky)
Serve the soup warm, garnished with your desired toppings.  Or refrigerate in a sealed container for up to 3 days, or freeze in a sealed container for up to 3 months.