Red Bean Soup

Ingredients
1 Tbsp EVOO or coconut oil
1 onion, chopped
1 bell pepper, chopped
4 cloves garlic, minced
4 bay leaves
3 cans/ 3 cups kidney beans (soaked overnight if using dry beans)
32 oz vegetable stock
water as needed
2 Tbsp salt
1 Tbsp paprika
1/2 Tbsp oregano
1/2 Tbsp thyme
2 tsp garlic powder
3 Tbsp chopped parsley
cooked brown rice, warm
green onions to garnish

Directions
1. Heat oil in large pot. Add onion, bell pepper, garlic, bay leaves. Cook, stirring, about 2 minutes
2. Add beans, seasoning, stock and amount of water for desired consistency. Bring to boil, then reduce heat to medium and cook until beans are tender (about 1 1/2 hrs for dry beans, 30 minutes for canned)
3. In the last 15 minutes of cooking, add salt to taste and parsley. Discard bay leaves and remove 1 cup of beans from pot. Puree this 1 cup of beans and return to pot, stirring well.
4. To servie, ladle into soup bowls over rice with green onions to garnish if desired.