Ingredients

• 2 Tbs olive oil
• 1 stalk celery, chopped
• 1 carrot, peeled and finely chopped
• 1/2 medium onion, minced
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• 1 Tbs chili powder
• 1 6-oz can tomato paste (I prefer low-salt/no-salt varieties)
• 1 green bell pepper, seeded and choppped
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 15-oz can pinto beans, undrained
• 1 15-oz can red kidney beans, undrained
• 1 15-0z can black beans, undrained
• 1 15-0z can cannelini beans (or some other white bean), undrained
• 1 cup water, possibly more
• 1/2 cup bulgur wheat
• 2 cups boiling water

Method

1. Heat the oil over medium-high heat. Add the carrots and sauté for five minutes. Add the celery and continue to sauté until they begin to soften. Add the onions and sauté until they are tender.
2. Add the bell pepper and sauté an additional five minutes.
3. Add the chili powder and ground cumin, and stir until you can begin to smell them. 
4. Add the tomato paste and stir to combine. Allow the tomato paste to brown a bit.
5. Add 1 cup of water, and stir to loosen everything up a bit. 
6. Add the beans, a cup at a time, allowing the soup to come back up to temperature a bit between additions. I start with firmest beans (black beans and kidney beans) and finish with the softest beans (pinto and cannelini).
7. Bring to a boil, then turn down and allow to simmer for 30 minutes.
8. In the meantime, rinse the bulgur and add it to a bowl. Bring two cups of water to a boil, pour it over the bulgur, and cover the bowl tightly with cling film.
9. After the soup has simmered for thirty minutes, drain the bulgur (press out any remaining water), and add it to the soup. Add additional water if necessary (up to a cup) to adjust its consistency. Simmer for another ten minutes and serve.

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