Best Black Bean Soup

Onions: (2 medium size)  (1 3/4 cups)  (200 grams)

Garlic, 4 cloves

Green peas, frozen (3/4 cups) (118 grams)

Carrots, raw peeled:   (2 3/4 cups) (3 large carrots)  (323 grams)

Potatoes, raw peeled: (1 3/4 cups) (1 very large potato) (386 grams)

Tomatoes, 1 can  13.5 oz size  (about 5-6 fresh tomatoes)

Dried onions, minced (2 tablespoons)

Sundried tomatoes (2 tablespoons)

Spinach, frozen (85 grams)

Black Beans, refried (Eden) - 1/2 cup

Better Than Bouillon No Chicken Base - 1 Tablespoon)

Mushrooms, 4 large fresh (put in last) 

Heat up about 1 cup of water in a large pot (recipe makes about 10 cups of soup).  Dice onions and put into sizzling hot water. Salt the onions.  Let soften for a bit stirring often - add water as needed to keep onions from sticking.  Add your favorite spices.  I used turmeric, garlic powder, cumin, curry powder, salt and pepper.  Add in your garlic, dried minced onions and frozen green peas and continue to add water as needed. Dice your carrots into size you like (prefer small dice for soups). Add to pot with some more water.  Peel and dice the potato along with your can of tomatoes and frozen spinach (my spinach came in little rounds which I had let thaw on counter for a bit and then chopped them up a bit before putting into pot). I presoaked sundried tomatoes for a few minutes and then whirled most of them in blender with 1 cup of water along with the fresh mushrooms. Makes a bit of a slurry but adds great flavor to soup.  I had frozen my refried black beans into 1/4 cup cubes so I put them into the pot of hot soup and they melted quickly. Taste your soup for level of spice and saltiness you like. One tablespoon of Better Than Bouillon No Chicken Base was sufficient for this big pot because all the ingredients combined make for a very nice flavor.

MAKES TEN CUPS OF DELICOUS SOUP!