Chorizo-Banana Bean Soup

Ingredients

• 0.3 cup banana ripe mashed
• 2  bay leaves 
• 0.3 teaspoon pepper black
• 0.5 cup carrots diced
• 4 ounces chorizo sausage smoked diced
• 6 ounces black beans dried
• 16 ounce less-sodium chicken broth fat-free canned
• 4  garlic cloves minced
• 0.3 cup bell pepper diced green
• 1 teaspoon habanero pepper minced seeded
• 1.5 teaspoons olive oil 
• 0.3 cup onion diced
• 0.8 cup plum tomatoes seeded chopped
• 6 ounces beans dried red
• 0.5 teaspoon salt 
• 3.3 cups water 

Equipment

• frying pan
• dutch oven

Directions

1. Sort and wash beans, and place in a large ovenproof Dutch oven. Cover with water to 2 inches above beans; bring to a boil, and cook 2 minutes.
2. Remove from heat; cover and let stand 1 hour.
3. Drain; return beans to pan.
4. Heat the oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-low heat.
5. Add chorizo, carrot, onion, bell pepper, habanero, and garlic, and saut 15 minutes or until vegetables are tender.
6. Add water and broth to beans in Dutch oven, and bring to a boil. Stir in chorizo mixture and bay leaves, and return to a boil. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer 1 1/2 hours or until beans are tender.
7. Add tomato, salt, and black pepper, and simmer 15 minutes. Stir in the mashed banana, and remove from heat.