4 cups South of the Border Beans (recipe follows)
2 (14 1/2-ounce) cans vegetable broth or fat-free chicken broth
1 1/4 teaspoons sugar
Juice of 1/2 lime
4 ounces baked or regular tortilla chips (for 2 1/2 cups crushed), or to taste
5 tablespoons shredded Mexican-blend cheese
If the beans are frozen, partly defrost by opening bag about 2 inches to vent and microwaving, on high, for 3 minutes. Meanwhile, place broth and sugar in a 4 1/2-quart Dutch oven or soup pot over high heat; cover pot and bring to a boil. Remove beans from bag, add to the pot, and stir gently to break up any frozen chunks of beans, without mashing the beans. When the soup returns to a boil, reduce heat to medium-low. Stir in lime juice. Crush chips slightly and place in soup bowls. Ladle soup over chips, and sprinkle with cheese. Serve at once. Makes 5 servings. Per serving: fats, 5 grams (12% of calories); calories, 379; cholesterol, 6 milligrams; carbohydrate, 69 grams; fiber, 15 grams; protein, 18 grams; sodium, 1,609 milligrams
South-of-the-Border Beans
1 teaspoon vegetable oil
1 large onion, for 1 cup chopped
1 (15-ounce) can red beans
1 (15-ounce) can white beans
2 (15-ounce) cans black beans
2 (14 1/2-ounce) cans diced tomatoes seasoned with garlic and onions
2 teaspoons bottled minced garlic
1 1/2 cups frozen yellow corn kernels
1 1/2 teaspoons chili powder
1 1/2 teaspoons cumin
Heat oil in an extra-deep, 12-inch nonstick skillet or Dutch oven over medium heat. Peel and coarsely chop onion, adding it to the skillet as you chop. Raise heat to medium-high, and stir from time to time. While onion cooks, rinse and drain red beans and white beans, and add them to the skillet. Add black beans with juice, tomatoes and garlic. Add corn, chili powder and cumin. Stir to blend well. Reduce heat to low and simmer 2 minutes or until heated through and ready to serve. To freeze leftovers, let beans cool, then place 4 cups in a gallon-size, zipper-top plastic bag and freeze up to 1 month. To use frozen beans, partly open plastic bag to vent. Microwave 3 minutes at high to partly defrost. Remove beans from bag and continue with recipe. Makes 8 cups. Per 1-cup serving: fats, 3 grams (9% of calories); calories, 260; cholesterol, 0 milligrams; carbohydrate, 46 grams; fiber, 13 grams; protein, 15 grams; sodium, 1,006 milligrams
