Black Bean Soup

from my daughter-in-law, Meredith

1 medium onion, chopped (about 2/3 cup)
1 tablespoon ground cumin
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
3 (16-ounce) cans black beans, undrained
1 (14 1/2-ounce) can chicken broth
3 cups medium or hot chunky salsa
Juice and grated peel of 1 lime

Optional toppings:
1/2 cup nonfat fat free sour cream
Shredded 2% sharp cheddar cheese
Tortilla strips or broken chips
Rice
Chopped, cooked seasoned chicken
Chopped cilantro

1. Cook onion and cumin in oil in 4-quart sauce pot over medium heat until onion is tender, about 3 minutes; remove from heat.

2. Puree 2 cans beans and their liquid in batches with chicken broth in electric blender; add to pot. Stir in remaining beans, salsa, lime juice and peel.

3. Heat mixture to boil; reduce heat to low. Simmer for 30 minutes. Ladle 1 cup soup into bowl; top with any of the toppings or something else that sounds good to you!