Healthy Black Bean Vegetable Soup

Threw this together with what I had on hand. Am new to cooking so could use improvement, but still tasted good - especially in light of how simple and healthy.

• Ready In: 15 mins
• Serves: 1

Ingredients

• 1⁄2 cup water
• 1  medium carrot, sliced thin
• 1⁄8 cup onion, diced
• 1⁄2 medium red bell pepper, diced
• 2  garlic cloves, chopped
• 2  cups spinach, raw
• 1⁄4 teaspoon ginger
• 1⁄2 cup black beans, homecooked, frozen
• 1⁄8 teaspoon turmeric
• 1⁄8 teaspoon cumin
• 1⁄2 cup milk

Directions

1. Put carrots in pot and cover with water (no oil or butter needed). Cover and cook on medium heat until carrots just start turning soft.
2. Add onion and red bell pepper. Cook, uncovered, on low heat for a couple minutes, stirring occasionally.
3. Throw in garlic and spinach. Continue stirring occasionally on low heat until spinach is mostly cooked down. Add ginger.
4. Remove from heat once spinach is cooked. Strain vegetable mixture into bowl; reserve juice. Place vegetable mixture in microwave to keep warm.
5. Place black beans and reserved vegetable juice in pot on stove. Cook, covered, on medium heat until black beans are no longer frozen. Add turmeric and cumin; stir and simmer briefly. Add milk, reduce heat, and stir. Mash some of the beans using fork or spoon, if desired. Cover and cook 1 minute.
6. Return vegetable mixture to bean soup base in pot. Cook uncovered 1 minute longer, stirring occasionally.
7. Serve. Try with hunk of whole wheat bread or some plain nonfat yogurt.