Cuban Black Bean Soup

The night before, rinse [black beans] in a colander. Remove any broken beans. Place [black beans] in a large pot with water (5 cup) or water (6 cup) and soak overnight. (Alternatively, use canned [black beans] - rinse and drain.)

The next day, drain and rinse the [black beans]. Return [black beans] to the pot, add water, bring to a boil, then simmer covered for hour (1), drain and rinse again. Start 60m timer

Juice the orange (1) and set aside the [orange juice]. Reserve the [orange halves] for the soup.

To the pot with the cooked [black beans], add the leaves (2 bay), garlic cloves (4 clove), cumin (2 tsp), smoked paprika (2 tsp), white onion (1 large), celery (2 stalk), carrots (2 medium), red bell pepper (1 medium), vegetable broth (3 cup), [orange halves], himalayan salt (1.5 tsp), and black pepper (0.5 tsp). Bring to a boil, reduce heat, cover, and simmer for minutes (40) to minutes (60), or until vegetables are tender. Stir occasionally, adding extra [water] as needed (e.g., water (1 cup)). Start 40m timer

Remove the [orange halves] and [bay leaves]. Use an immersion blender to blend the soup to your desired consistency (I blended about 0.75, leaving some chunks). Add the reserved [orange juice] and cook for another minutes (5) to minutes (10). Start 10m timer

Serve alone or over cooked [buckwheat], [farro], or [brown rice]. Top with [diced tomatoes], [diced onion], [vegan sour cream], and/or [lime wedges].