Pinto Bean & Ground Beef Soup

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup cilantro, chopped
• 1/8 cup lime juice
• 14 1/2 oz diced tomatoes
• 2 tbsps tomato paste
• 16 oz reduced sodium pinto beans, rinsed, drained
• 1 lb 93/7 lean ground beef
• 4 cups reduced sodium chicken broth
• 1 tbsp cumin
• 2 tsps oregano leaves
• 2 tsps olive oil
• 3 tsps garlic, minced
• 1 cup onion, chopped
• 1 cup water

Directions

1. Heat large heavy frying pan to medium-high, add ground beef saute until beef is well-browned, breaking apart with back of the spoon as it cooks. When it's well browned, remove beef to a bowl.
2. Heat olive oil in frying pan, then add onion and saute about 5 minutes, or until onion is starting to brown. Add minced garlic and saute 2 minutes more, then add oregano, cumin and saute about 2 minutes more. Remove from pan.
3. Add chicken stock to frying pan and simmer a minute, scraping off any browned bits. Combine browned meat, onion mixture, chicken stock from the pan, water, beans, tomato paste, and canned tomatoes in heavy soup pot.
4. Simmer over low heat about 45 minutes, adding a bit more water if needed. When stew seems done, add chopped cilantro, and lime juice and cook a few more minutes. Serve hot.