This is a colorful black bean dish that requires little effort to make and is attractive enough to serve on a special occasion. Serve plain or on rice or polenta. If you have leftover chili, you could use it to make a variation of Black Bean Chilaquile. Just use leftover chili, tortillas, greens, and Cheddar cheese. The chili can replace the beans-and-corn layer in the chilaquile-and the salsa layer, too, since this chili is already spicy.

2 cups chopped onions
2 garlic cloves, minced or pressed
1/2 cup water
I tablespoon ground cumin
I tablespoon ground coriander
I cup prepared Mexican-style red salsa *
2 red and/or green bell peppers, chopped
3 cups cooked black beans (two I5-ounce cans, drained and rinsed)
3 cups canned whole tomatoes, with juice (28-ounce can)
2 cups fresh or frozen corn kernels (11-ounce package)
salt to taste
Tabasco or other hot pepper sauce to taste
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro, or to taste (optional)

* Prepared salsa gives this chili a "finished" flavor without a lot of cooking. We recommend a clean, crisp-flavored salsa, such as La Victoria brand Casera Salsa or Pace brand Picante Sauce.

In a covered soup pot, cook the onions and garlic in the water on high heat, stirring frequently, for about 5 minutes. Add the cumin and coriander and stir on high heat for a minute. Stir in thesalsa and bellpeppers, lower the heat, cover, and simmer for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the black beans and tomatoes; simmer for 10 minutes. Add the corn and continue to cook for 10 minutes. Add salt and Tabasco totaste. Stir in the cilantro, if desired.

Serves 4 to 6
Total time: 35 minutes

PER 11-0Z SERVING: 222 CALORIES, 10.7 G PROTEIN, 2.0 G FAT, 45.7 G CARBOHYDRATES,.3 G SATURATED FATTY ACIDS, .7 G POLYUNSATURATED FATTY ACIDS, .3 G MONOUNSATURATED FATTY ACIDS, 0 MG CHOLESTEROL, 618 MG SODIUM, 38 G TOTAL DIETARY FIBER