Beezie's Black Bean Soup

Ingredients

• 1 pound black beans dry
• 28 ounce canned tomatoes diced peeled canned
• 1  carrots chopped
• 1 stalk celery chopped
• 2 tablespoons chili powder 
• 6 cloves garlic crushed
• 2  bell peppers green chopped
• 2 teaspoons ground cumin 
• 0.5 teaspoon ground pepper black
• 2  jalapeno minced seeded
• 0.3 cup lentils dry
• 0.5 teaspoon oregano dried
• 1 large onion red chopped
• 3 tablespoons red wine vinegar 
• 1 tablespoon salt 
• 1.5 quarts water 
• 0.5 cup rice white uncooked

Equipment

• food processor
• pot
• blender
• slow cooker

Directions

1. In a large pot over medium-high heat, place the beans in three times their volume of water. Bring to a boil, and let boil 10 minutes. Cover, remove from heat and let stand 1 hour.
2. Drain, and rinse.
3. In a slow cooker, combine soaked beans and 1 1/2 quarts fresh water. Cover, and cook for 3 hours on High.
4. Stir in carrot, celery, onion, garlic, bell peppers, jalapeno pepper, lentils, and tomatoes. Season with chili powder, cumin, oregano, black pepper, red wine vinegar, and salt. Cook on Low for 2 to 3 hours. Stir the rice into the slow cooker in the last 20 minutes of cooking.
5. Puree about half of the soup with a blender or food processor, then pour back into the pot before serving.