Veggies Don't Bite

Preparing the Beans:
2 Pick through the beans. Remove discolored, shriveled beans and any foreign material. Rinse well.
3 Place beans in a 4-quart pot with 8 cups fresh water.
4 Bring to a boil for 10 minutes, reduce heat, cover and simmer for 1-1 1/2 hours until beans are soft and ready to eat but not mushy. Start checking at 1 hour.
5 Remove from heat, drain and set aside until ready to use. This makes about 4 cups cooked beans.
Preparing the Soup:
7 In a 4-quart pot, sauté onion in oil over medium heat for 10 minutes, add the garlic the last 2 minutes.
8 Stir in contents of vegetable & seasoning packet and chopped peppers and sauté 2 minutes.
9 Add orange juice and broth to the pot. Simmer until the broth evaporates and the dried veggies from the soup mix are cooked. About 5-8 minutes.
10 Add to a large bowl with the cooked beans and rice and mix well.
11 Mix in fresh tomatoes and top with chopped cilantro. Add sea salt to taste if preferred.