Black Bean Soup

I really enjoy soup in the winter.  It's hard to pick a favorite, but one that I like very much is black bean soup.  Our grocery store makes a version that is out of this world!  I found this recipe on Fresh365 and thought it looked like it might be a good one to try.  I had originally planned to make this soup last week, and bought all the necessary ingredients when I first made my meal plan.  Well, of course, things got in the way and this soup was pushed back to last night.  Because of that, I had to omit the cilantro and chives, since they had long since wilted and gone bad, though the fresh kick that they would have provided would have been delicious.  At any rate, this soup was the perfect way to warm up on this cold, snowy, blustery night!

2 tablespoons Olive Oil
1 Onion, chopped
4 Garlic Cloves, minced
2 teaspoon Ground Cumin
1 teaspoon Chili Powder
2 (15.5 ounce) cans Black Beans, drained and rinsed
1 (15 ounce) can Diced Tomatoes in Juice
1 1/2 cup Vegetable Broth
1 teaspoon Salt
1 handful Cilantro, chopped (I omitted)
1/4 cup Feta Cheese, crumbled
10 Chives, chopped (I omitted)

In a large pan, heat olive oil over medium heat.  Add onion and garlic, and cook for 6-8 minutes, until they begin to brown.  Stir in the cumin and chili powder.  Add the black beans, diced tomatoes, vegetable broth, salt, and cilantro.  Bring to a boil and allow to cook for 2 minutes.  Transfer 1 cup of soup to a blender and process until smooth.  Stir back into the soup.  Remove from the heat and serve, topped with feta and chives.