Black beans are a very good source of cholesterol-lowering fiber and have many healthy properties that make them a good go-to ingredient. The best thing about black beans is their rich, meaty flavor. They lend themselves to many preparations, are great hot or cold, and the best news is that you don’t ever have to cook them if you don’t have the time or inclination. When purchasing, watch out for sodium levels, and buy organic if you can.

　　

Ingredients

serves 4

　　One 14.5-ounce can black beans, with liquid

　　2/3 cup low-fat, low-sodium chicken broth

　　2/3 cup store-bought fresh salsa, such as Top Crop

　　2 teaspoons chili powder

　　2 tablespoons reduced-sugar ketchup, such as Heinz

　　3 tablespoons real bacon bits, such as Hormel Real Bacon Bits

　　Salt and freshly ground black pepper

　　1/4 cup shredded 75% reduced-fat cheddar cheese, such as Cabot

　　1/4 cup nonfat Greek yogurt

　　1/3 cup chopped fresh cilantro

　　

Step 1

In a blender, combine half of the beans and all their liquid, the chicken broth, and 1/3 cup of the salsa. Puree the mixture until smooth.

　　

Step 2

Pour the contents of the blender into a medium saucepan and place it over high heat. Add the remaining beans, remaining salsa, chili powder, ketchup, and bacon. Bring the soup to a boil. Then reduce the heat to low. Cook the soup, stirring frequently, until thickened, about 9 minutes. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

　　

Step 3

Ladle the soup into 4 bowls. Top each bowl with cheddar cheese, a dollop of yogurt, and a sprinkling of cilantro, and serve.

　　

nutrition information

Step 4

Fat: 7.9g (before), 2.1g (after)

　　

Step 5

Calories: 392 (before), 129 (after)

　　

Step 6

Protein: 12g

　　

Step 7

Carbohydrates: 21g

　　

Step 8

Cholesterol: 7mg

　　

Step 9

Fiber: 5g

　　

Step 10

Sodium: 1,159mg

　　Now Eat This by Rocco DiSpirito. Copyright © 2010 by Rocco DiSpirito. Published by Random House Publishing Group. All Rights Reserved.Hailed as the "Leading Chef of his Generation" by Gourmet magazine, Rocco DiSpirito received the James Beard Award for his first cookbook, Flavor. He went on to author Rocco's Italian-American (2004), Rocco's Five Minute Flavor (2005), Rocco's Real-Life Recipes (2007), and Rocco Gets Real (2009). DiSpirito also starred in the Food Network series Melting Pot, the NBC hit reality series The Restaurant, and the A&E series Rocco Gets Real.