Here's a product I can recommend for fantastic black bean soup - Bob's Red Mill Black Bean Soup mix. It is a package of just beans (barley, etc.), no spice. There is a great recipe on the back of the package that I mostly followed. Here are my changes:
1/2 as much canned tomato and I used fire-roasted with green chile kind (Muir Glen)
no squash
2 sliced Jalapeno peppers (I like it spicy)
6 or 7 cloves of garlic (I think the recipe called for 4, but garlic rules in my house)
You use 1/2 the package for one preparation and it makes a lot of soup! I put some on the freezer, but by popular demand, I got it out right away because people said, "more, please!"
Bob's Red Mill is a family company in Milwaukee, OREGON making whole ground, organic flours, beans, etc. I like supporting a company like that.
So make this soup and enjoy hearty, flavorful goodness!
Be a happy herbivore :)
