Refried Bean Soup

My friend Colleen gave this recipe to me years ago and I still make it. Sometimes, I have homemade refried beans and broth in the freezer and will use that. I'll post recipes for the beans and broth over the next week.

If I use this recipe as my main course, I double it.

Refried Bean Soup

2 tsp. olive oil
1 onion, chopped
1 green bell pepper, chopped
2 tsp. minced garlic
1 can (14-1/2 ounces) vegetable or chicken broth
1 can (14 1/2 ounces) Mexican style stewed tomatoes
1 can (16 ounces) fat-free refried beans
1/4 teaspoon ground cumin (optional)
black pepper to taste

Heat the oil in a 4 1/2 quart Dutch oven or soup pot over medium heat. Saute onion and pepper until tender.

Add the garlic, broth, and stewed tomatoes. Stir. Raise the heat to high. Stir in the refried beans and the cumin. Stir well. Cover and let the soup come to a boil. Reduce the heat to low and stir occasionally for 5 to 7 minutes or until ready to serve.

Variation: Add a can of black and/or kidney beans.